


Breaking the Swan

by MasFawkes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Crime, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Incest, Mistaken Identity, Multi, Rape, Time Travel, Uncle/Niece Incest, non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-07
Updated: 2015-03-16
Packaged: 2017-12-07 18:12:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 37,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/751513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MasFawkes/pseuds/MasFawkes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>OUAT kink meme prompt: Emma/Real!Prince James (Not Charming); Timetravel, [non-con/dub-con at least]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Breaking the Swan

"That her?" James asked curiously, eyeing the blonde woman with some consideration. She was beautiful, no doubt and definitely desirable, even if she was clothed oddly.

"Yes," Cora answered simply. "Think you're...up for the job?"

"Easy," James looked sideways at Cora, "And afterwards you'll pay me and send me home? Back to my world?"

"That was the deal." Cora nodded, "Don't be surprised by whatever name she calls you by; you bear more than a passing resemblance to a man in power here. It's why I chose you."

"Right," James smirked, "So I get my hands dirty for you and you pass it all off on the man you want deposed?"

"Something like that, yes."

"And if in the process she breaks?" James tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers, thumbs hooked on the outside.

"Then she breaks," Cora smiled, "I bet she breaks beautifully."

"Oh, we'll find out." James grinned and jogged off in the early morning light, headed for the building the woman had entered. He wasn't exactly sure what this 'Emma' had done to Cora but obviously she'd earned a spot on her badside. Cora's offer gold wise was enough to get him to take this little side venture, curiosity at visiting another world and the job itself considering the woman chosen...well, that was just added incentive. In the end it would pay more than enough gold to get him, his father and their soldiers to Midas' kingdom where hopefully he'd excel, best a dragon and save his kingdom.

* * *

The inside of the building was brightly lit, as if it were daylight, as opposed to the still darkened sky outside. It looked almost like some sort of prison, if the cells were anything to go by, but much nicer than any he'd ever seen.

James stopped by one of the desks when something shiny caught his eyes. He reached down and picked up what looked like a pair of very thin shackles. They looked almost like bracelets compared to what he'd used before, but they seemed strong enough...they could be of use.

He left the desk and looked into the office where the woman was moving around. He watched as she pressed something on the desk and then turned, taking off her jacket and hanging it up, leaving her clad only in tight trousers and a thin shirt.

There was something oddly arousing about just watching her move, unaware that he was there and what his intentions were. It took a few moments but finally she turned and saw him at the door. He fought back a grin when she jumped and looked like a startled rabbit.

"David? What are you doing here? I thought you were still in bed." Emma's voice was almost guilty sounding, as if she'd disobeyed an order and she stood behind the desk chair, hands on the back of it.

'David' must have been the name of the man Cora thought he looked here. "Oh, a bed does sound nice, but I think a floor might have to suffice for now."

"What?" She looked confused as he crossed through the door, shutting it behind him with a click and twisting the little latch that locked it. "David, what are you doing?" She repeated, clearly lost. "Okay, I know I'm not supposed to just sneak out when Cora's running around but I needed to get some work done." she shifted in place and he almost laughed at her expression; she looked so much like him awaiting a scolding from his father as a child.

"Mmm, sounds like you're being a bad girl." James walked around the desk till they were standing toe to toe, "And you know bad girls are punished.

"D-David?"

He leaned down and crushed his lips to hers. She froze for a moment, clearly shocked before she reached up with both her hands and shoved hard at his chest. "What the fuck, David?" Emma demanded, trying to move backwards but found herself with her back against the wall instead of any free space.

James smiled at her, she looked so fearful yet so angry at the same time. "Oh, I think you know." He closed the short distance between them again and once more kissed her hard. When she brought her hands up to shove him back again he was prepared. He grabbed her left arm with his right and quickly had one of the small shackles around it. She might be strong, but she was no match for a trained warrior.  
Before she could do much more than gasp in protest he had her spun and pressed hard with her chest against the wall and her other hand pulled back into the other shackle. "Knew those would come in handy."

"David, w-what are you doing?" Her voice shook with fury and...was that fear or sorrow? Either way, it was spreading a fire through his stomach.

"I think that's obvious." James turned her around again so her hands were on the wall and toyed with the bottom of her shirt, running his fingers on the hemline of it before slipping his hand under and rubbing his fingertips lightly across the waist line of her trousers, stroking the skin there and relishing the softness of it.

"Why?" She tried to jerk away but he shoved her back with his left hand on her shoulder, "Why are you doing this?"

"Fun, profit...fun." he repeated. He should have stripped her shirt off before he had tied her, he realized a little too late and nearly sighed to himself. Then again, improvising wasn't so bad. "You're beautiful. I didn't expect that." James reached to his own waist and pulled the small dagger he carried from it's sheath. He twirled it in his fingers then pressed the flat edge to her stomach, "Don't move or this might hurt." James smirked at her quick inhale and pulled upwards, easily slicing through the material of her shirt as he slid the dagger upwards, the only noise her attempts at steadying her breath and the fabric tearing. When it finally fell open he let his dagger linger, tip of it just pressing against her throat.

"This isn't you," Emma stated, tears in her eyes, "David, this isn't you. Please, you're a good man, you're not like this. You can't be like this." she almost pleaded.

He snorted quietly to himself, 'David' didn't sound like much fun at all if he'd turn down a gem like this. James pulled the dagger down from her throat and slid it under the material of the weird half-corset article she wore. She took a deep breath and he stopped, knowing what that meant. Before she even got half of a scream for help out he'd drawn back and brought the back of his left hand down across the left side of her face, something he knew from experience to be a sobering amount of pain and enough to stun.

He reached up while she was still reeling, holding her face with his left hand across her chin, fingers just digging into the flesh, "Make any noise, scream at all, and I won't limit my cutting to your fabric, understand?"

"Please." Emma whispered, tears in her eyes and blood just starting to drip from her lip, "David, don't do this. Don't be like this."

He let go of her face and jerked the dagger upwards and outwards, slicing through the fabric easily. "Is there any other way to be?" he questioned, using the tip of the dagger to toss the material off to the side and expose her breasts. James smiled to himself when she shivered as he ran just the tip of his dagger over her breasts, just hard enough to barely scratch, not even hard enough to leave a mark.

He tucked the dagger away again, retracing the path it had taken with his fingers this time, tracing the smooth skin and watching her face. She was crying, eyes closed tightly. Normally this didn't cry this soon.

Well, if she was going to cry he might as well give her something to cry about. He replaced his fingers with his mouth, feeling her quake underneath his lips.

"Please, please, David." her voice shook as she begged, "Stop."

He bit down on the underside of her right breast hard enough to leave a mark but not to break the skin and felt heat shoot through his stomach to his groin when she cried out. "No noise, sweetheart." He warned her again, running his thumb over her lips.

James felt her shift slightly and was able to easily anticipate and block when she lashed out with her leg, aiming to hurt him. He grabbed her by the throat and shoved her back against the wall with a crack.

"What'd I tell you?"

He left his right hand gripping her throat and trailed his left hand over her body, raking his nails against her ribs hard enough to leave deep red marks behind as she both tried to scream and to suppress it.

"Good girl." He praised darkly, fingers finally reaching the button of her trousers and undoing it easily, pushing down the weird metal and exposing more skin. He stroked the newly exposed area and frowned when he felt a blemish.

James shoved the material further apart and studied what he'd found. On her lower stomach, hidden almost by her briefs, was a long pale but raised scar. It had to be at least seven inches long and was quite obviously from a sharp blade. A woman who could survive and still move like she did after an injury like that...

"What is this from?" He demanded, rubbing his fingers across it almost reverently. He loosened his grip on her neck so she could answer.

"H-Henry," Emma gasped out, "When he was born. They had to cut him out." she licked her lips, trying to speak without the trembling.

She'd survived something like that? No wonder she made Cora mad enough to bring in outside help: she must be very strong.

"Hmm," He let go of her throat, grabbing her trousers with both hands and yanking them down to around her ankles, smacking one leg then the other with his hand to make her raise them one at a time so he could strip the clothing and her boots off.

She was shivering and shaking still. "D-David, P-please. Not you. Never you."  
James rolled his eyes, standing again and using his foot to nudge her legs a little wider. She had her eyes clenched tightly shut again but tears were still slowly making their way down her cheeks. "Who else?" he teased, pressing his lips hard to hers.

She fought against him, keeping her own lips closed until he dug the nails of his right hand into her hip, causing her to gasp and allowing him access to her mouth. She tasted of blood and mint and though she fought against him she knew better than to bite him.

"Not so bad, am I?" James murmured against her lips, sliding his hand down lower even as Emma whimpered and tried to shift away from him.

"Please, don't." Emma's breath hitched as his fingers trailed over soft curls and she sobbed out a breath when he ran his fingers over her slit. "I w-won't tell S-Snow. I won't tell anyone, I swear! Just please stop."

He hushed her absently, frowning in annoyance at the lack of moisture. They might always protest and scream and fight, but they were always at least a little wet by now. Maybe she was one of those ladies that preferred the company of other women? Why else would she refuse him like this.

"Please, David." She choked out as he repeated the action, this time pressing a little harder in hopes she'd yield. "Please, stop. Just stop."

"No." James said pleasantly, kneeling in front of her. If she refused to yield to his fingers he'd use his mouth to make her wet. He didn't particularly care for her pleasure, but it would be less painful to him if she'd respond.  
"David, stop!" She tried again and he felt her shift in place, clearly debating whether or not she could get away this time. "D-David?"

James ignored her, leaning forward and running his tongue in one broad stroke over where his fingers had traced before, earning him a deep gasp either of pleasure or outrage from Emma.

"Dad?" She whimpered in horror, dropping her head back to rest on the wall as a sob tore it's way out of her body.

'Dad'? Most girls tended to scream for God or their Mothers. Dad was a new one.

Reaching up with his hands, James used his thumbs to spread her open, giving him better access. He listened to her fighting back sobs and whimpering the name 'David' amongst pleas for him to stop even as he set to work tracing every inch of her with his mouth.

She shivered and rocked underneath him against her will and he couldn't help the grin that spread as he teased at her entrance with his tongue. Women always protested, always claiming propriety or some other such nonsense, but get them this far and they would always fold, crying and begging for more.

He moved his path, circling her clit with his tongue before drawing it into his mouth with a hard suck, causing her to inhale sharply. James repeated the pattern, listening to her erratic breathing and brought his hand up again to touch her. He probed at her entrance with his fingers, finding her still tight, but wet finally.

"If you relax it'll hurt less." He told her, even as he nipped at her clit lightly, causing her to gasp.

"Stop, please." she begged, tears falling once more as she looked down at him. "Don't do this."

"Why?" He questioned her, continuing his work and slowly working his fingers into her.

"Please, please," she choked out, shuddering underneath him as he brought her closer to the edge with his mouth.

"'Please'," he mocked her as he slid one finger up into her and she cried out.

"David--"

_'Mom? Come in, Mom.'_

A child's voice caused him to stop his work in shock as he turned to locate the source.

_'Mom? Are you there, Mom?'_

There wasn't a boy to be found, but Emma's gaze was fixed in terror on a small black box with a thin metal wire attached on the desk. Must be enchanted somehow, he realized and smiled evilly.

"Well, 'Mom', should we answer him?" James inquired innocently, pulling his hand out just enough to shove a second finger into her, "Tell him where you are, what you're doing...who with?"

"NO!" Emma looked frantic, "Please, no, I'll do anything you want just please...not...don't." she managed to say with effort.

"Oh? So now you are going to behave," he pumped his fingers into her harder and faster, feeling her tighten around his fingers not just from fear or revulsion. She was sweating, her whole body tense and her eyes clenched shut though tears leaked out still.

"Y-yes." she nodded as the boy continued to call out from the box.

"Good girl." James praised, capturing her clit in his mouth once more and sucking hard as he twisted his fingers inside her, sending her over the edge, her body going rigid and fluids soaking his fingers even as she sobbed and fought it.

He realized a second before it happened that she was going to fall and simply caught her when her knees gave way, easily manoeuvring her to lay on her back on the ground. The shackles, even as small as they were, had to be extremely painful to her wrists and back in the position but he really didn't care, just watching as she caught her breath, eyes shut tight. "Now, that wasn't so bad was it?"

He moved, kneeling between her legs and letting his hands drift to the front of his trousers, undoing the ties and releasing his cock from the cloth and stroking it as he watched her.

She was still shaking when he grabbed her thighs, pulling her body till her ass rested against his knees. He leaned forward and over her and kissed her hard, smiling against her when she gasped, trying to dislodge him by turning her head to the side.

"Oh? Back to this are we?" he chuckled and grabbed her face with his left hand, caressing the split in her lip with his thumb and smiling when she whimpered in pain. "I thought you were going to be a good girl now?" he looked deliberately to the black box then kissed her again. This time she didn't fight back. She didn't respond but she didn't fight back.

The kiss distracted Emma just enough that she didn't have time to fight or protest him lining himself up and the muted scream she let out when he entered her finally was swallowed by his lips.

"Stop, please, stop." She cried, wriggling underneath him but all it did was entice him further.

Every time she moved it sent pulses through her muscles, causing her to clench around his cock in a way that made him moan.

"Behave," He ordered her, slapping his hand down on her outer thigh, "Or I might stop being nice."

"Hurts." Emma's lip trembled and he thought she might start crying again but she just lay back against the tile, eyes closed tightly.

James shifted his hold on her, grabbing her hips tight enough he knew they'd bruise and thrusting hard into her. She was hot and so much tighter than he'd thought. Even after an orgasm she was still so tight and resistant against him, it was a little baffling.

He changed his angle, leaning over her and felt heat rush through him when she started moaning in both pain and reluctant pleasure. "Good girl." he praised her, shifting his weight to his right arm so he could reach his left hand between them, stroking her clit with his thumb even as she tried to wriggle away.

_'Emma, are you there?'_

The voice from the box wasn't a young male any more, but now a female probably close to the two of them in age.

Emma sobbed hard and her eyes opened, fixed on the box on the desk even as James sped up his efforts, getting to close to really care about who was speaking.

_'Emma, if you don't answer in the next ten seconds I'm going to assume you're in trouble.'_ the woman warned, fear and what sounded almost like anger in her voice.

Emma closed her eyes tight and he pressed down hard with his thumb, causing her body to jerk against him. "Please." she whispered, "Please."

"Please what?" he grunted, almost slamming his hips into hers as he neared the end.

"Please stop."

_'Okay, Emma, wherever you are stay there,'_ the woman said firmly _, 'If you can, yell as loud as possible for Red. She'll hear you no matter where you are and come find you, I promise.'_

"Going to scream?" James asked, squeezing her clit between his thumb and forefinger, sending her over the edge again. As she gasped, head thrown back trying to breathe, her body shaking and trembling he felt himself being pulled over the edge as well.

He debated briefly if he should pull out or not, but realized he was given an opportunity that he'd never had before; the chance to actually finish inside a female without worrying about her producing his bastard heir.

James gripped her hips hard as trembles wracked his own body, hips jerking without him directing them too as he spilled his seed inside her.

_'Emma, your Dad's getting dressed now,'_ the woman said, breathless like she'd been doing something strenuous, _'He'll find you, sweetheart. He'll be there soon, I swear.'_

Emma's eyes flew open, meeting his eyes as he pulled out and tucked himself away, redoing his pants.

"Your scar." She said, eyes fixed on his face.

"What scar?" he answered primly.

"You're not David." Emma sounded both horrified and relieved.

He leaned over her, lips close enough to her ear she could feel his breath, "Cora sends her love." he couldn't resist the dig as he stood, leaving her sobbing on the floor as he left the room and exited the building.

He passed a few people on the street who gave waves and greeted him by the name of David and waved back to all with a happy smile.

He met Cora up the street, just out of sight and smiled at her as well, "Done."

"Good." Cora nodded and handed him a leather satchel, "All you should need."

He turned to look down the street again as a woman's scream of shock rang out followed by a desperate scream for someone named 'Ruby'. "Mind if I ask who 'David' is that you'd want him known for this?"

"The son-in-law of my daughter." Cora responded, opening the portal she'd used before to bring James through. "The father of Emma."

James stared at her for a moment then chuckled, "You are one sick woman."

"Oh, that's of some debate." Cora inclined her head as he entered and the portal closed behind him. -- "What did you do?" Regina demanded, finding Cora not long after James had gone. Cora stood watching as down the street people hurried around, an ambulance having pulled up in front of the sheriff station shortly after David and Snow had sped to a stop outside of it in his truck.

"Assured that the sheriff will not be able to do her job while making sure that Snow is too broken to be of use and no one ever believes the 'Prince' again," Cora said calmly, "He might even be lynched."

"What did you do?" Regina repeated in horror as a stretcher was wheeled out of the sheriff's station, Emma strapped to it and Snow at her side.

"What I had to." Cora just smiled, disappearing in smoke.

 


	2. Shattered

"I'm right across from the station," Belle said, looking both ways before jogging across the street, "I'll check and call you back, Red."

'Thank you!'

She shut her phone with a click and slipped it into her coat pocket. Emma was missing. Emma could take care of herself and normally no one would think twice, even with Cora in town, but the fact she wasn't answering Henry's pleas through their walkie-talkies set everyone on edge.

She'd promised to help search while Snow and Charming got dressed and dealt with Henry.

The door to the station was unlocked and the lights inside on. Belle frowned when she entered and felt the heat inside. Obviously someone had been here a while if the station was already warmed up by the heaters.

"Emma?" she called out, looking around. "Are you in here?"

Belle walked down the short hallway looking around for Emma and spotted the door to her office was open as well. "Emma?"

She peeked into the office, figuring she'd find Emma working on paperwork or sleeping at her desk and couldn't stop the scream of shock at finding her instead naked and broken on the floor. "Emma? Oh Gods..." She bolted back down the hall and to the door of the station, slamming the door open and sticking her head out into the morning air again. She wasn't thinking straight, only knowing she really needed someone who knew what they were doing to help now. "RED!" She screamed desperately before ducking back inside and down the hallway again. She knelt next to Emma and reached out, touching her face. "Emma?"

Emma's eyes shot open and she cried out, flinching away from Belle's touch.

"It's okay, Emma, it's just me." Belle pulled her coat off and lay it over Emma trying to save her some modesty. She swallowed hard against the signs of violence, knowing at once what had happened.

"Red's on her way, your parents too." Belle promised, cupping Emma's cheek with her palm and trying not to cry. There was blood smeared and dried across the left side of Emma's face from a still bleeding wound to her mouth and she didn't want to think about the rest of it.

"It's not him," Emma rasped out fearfully, "Belle, he's not him!"

"Who--?"

"Belle!" Red yelled and Belle could hear her boots pounding in the hallway.

"In here!"

"What'd you – Oh Gods!" Red froze in the doorway looking sick. "Emma?"

"Keys." Emma looked up at Red then downwards, "My hands, please?"

"Oh...yes, um." Red turned and hurried to the deputy’s desk, digging into the right drawer from memory and locating the key ring that held keys to the cuffs and the cells.

She nearly slid on the floor as she hurried back to Emma's side, "Belle, help me sit her up."

Belle tried not to say anything when Emma flinched as Belle slid her hands under Emma's arms to help her sit up far enough that Red could reach the cuffs. "Shh, I've got you." Belle tried to keep her calm as Emma rested against her chest.

Emma cried out when her hands were released and a fresh round of tears made their way down her face as proper circulation returned and muscles ached in protest to their previous position.

"He's not him, Red," Emma choked back tears as Belle helped her lay back down. "He's not him!"

"Okay," Red nodded and brushed Emma's face with her hands, "Belle, call an ambulance." she said, handing over her own phone.

"No!" Emma protested, "Please, they can't know. They can't!"

Belle didn't listen to Emma, instead hurrying from the room and outside into the cold to catch her breath and call.

She'd just barely hung up the call when Charming's truck came screeching to a stop outside the station.

"Belle!" Snow called out, climbing from the truck and slamming the door shut behind her. "Did you find her?"

"She...she's inside." Belle managed to say, "Snow, she's hurt." Belle bit her lip hard, "Really."

Snow paled and bolted inside, not waiting for anything else Belle might say.

"Charming!" Belle grabbed his arm as he tried to pass her and looked up at him pleadingly. "I don't think you should go in there."

"She's my daughter, if she's hurt I'll be there." Charming told her seriously, pulling his arm away and entering the building.

"Not this kind of hurt." Belle felt a tear slip from her eye and slide down her cheek even as she followed him back inside.

She hadn't even made it halfway down the hall when she heard Emma scream in fear and pain, making her insides go cold again and more tears slip out.

Belle found Charming backing out of the room in horror till he hit the deputy desk and sat down hard, "No." He whispered, looking like he might throw up, "No, no, no!"

Belle sat on the desk next to him and held his hand even as the paramedics invaded the station, bundling Emma onto the stretcher after giving her a shot of something that stopped the panicking screams.

Snow looked towards them and Charming just nodded, watching his wife follow the paramedics and their daughter outside.

"Red," He called out when the woman left the office looking sick. "Who...hurt her?"

"I don't know," Red looked frustrated and confused, "All I can smell is you and her. I can't smell anything else!"

"Where's Henry?" Belle asked suddenly, realizing she hadn't heard from the boy or seen him.

"With Granny, we dropped him off till we could find Emma.

* * *

Emma fought, screaming and crying even with the medication she could feel coursing through her system trying to make her sleep, trying to make her settle. She couldn't though. David wasn't David and that meant anyone could be someone they weren't.

It didn't help that the faces she kept seeing over her were men. What if they hurt her too? Her panic stricken mind rationalized as she fought against them.

"Emma! Emma, sweetie, I'm here." she felt a hand slip into hers and squeeze it lightly, "Emma, look at me."

Emma forced her eyes away from the man over her and over to the person holding her hand. "Snow." She whimpered, squeezing the hand in return.

"Just focus on me, baby, I'm right here." Snow looked like she might cry but she held tight to Emma's hand as someone gave her another shot in her right arm. "I'm here."

"He's not him." Emma felt her voice crack and tears flooded her eyes again, "'m not a bad girl.." the words were so quiet and almost a question, begging Snow to tell her she wasn't.

Snow closed her eyes and Emma watched a tear slip out and down her cheek. "No, you're not," Snow reached out with her left hand and cupped Emma's face, making the girl focus on her still, "Not at all."

Emma closed her eyes, trying not to be sick, trying to ignore the pain that was radiating through her entire body. She could hear the paramedics talking and then eventually the sounds of their footsteps fading away.

"Can you sit up Emma?" Snow asked and Emma could see she was holding a hospital gown one had given her. "Please?"

Emma shifted, wincing in pain as she forced herself into a sitting position, holding the blanket they'd wrapped her in tightly to her chest. She wanted to hide, to cry and just sleep for years but they weren't going to let her.

Snow slowly and carefully helped Emma change out the blanket for the gown, tying it in the back for her to make sure she was completely covered.

"Who hurt you, Emma?" Snow asked, tears barely held at bay.

Emma just shook her head and closed her eyes, clinging to her mother like a lost child.

* * *

Whale was the only Doctor around qualified to treat her and it took twenty minutes even with medication to get Emma calmed down enough to let him examine her.

She'd fought when Snow was asked to leave until Whale had agreed she could stay.

"I've got you," Snow spoke calmly as she sat on the edge of Emma's bed, arms wrapped around her daughter to keep her from seeing what Whale was doing and trying to distract her some from the pain.

"I won't let anything else happen." Snow promised and pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head as the woman clung to her tightly.

Whale handed the kit off to someone outside, speaking quietly and returned with a little plastic cup full of pills, "You need to take these, Sheriff Swan," he spoke almost as gently as Snow had, handing her the little cup and moving to get a cup for water.

Emma looked down at the two little pills in the container and didn't even ask what they were, just tossed them back and swallowed them with the water Whale provided.

"You're going to need some stitches on your mouth." Whale frowned, "I can get one of the nurses if you'd like for that."

"Please," Snow said when Emma started shivering, returning to her comforting position.

"I just want a shower and to go home." Emma said, head resting on Snow's shoulder.

"Shower we can do but you can't go home just yet," Whale made a note on her chart and caught Snow's eyes, "We still have a few things to do. We'll get your stitches done after you've showered and changed." He allowed, not completely devoid of compassion. "Does she have any clothes...?"

"I'll call David to bring some." Snow looked down in shock at the way Emma had quaked at the name and held her a little tighter. "Thank you."

Whale nodded and left, shutting the door behind him.

"Alright, come on," Snow shifted off the bed to help Emma sit up completely, "Can you manage or do you need my help?" She offered, not wanting to overwhelm Emma but not wanting to leave her side either.

"I can manage," Emma said quietly but accepted Snow's help walking her to the little patient bathroom.

"I'll go get D- get you some clothes." Snow corrected herself, "I'll be just right outside, you can call if you need me, okay?"

Emma nodded and shut the door to the bathroom, leaving Snow on the other side.

She took a few moments, calming her nerves and waiting till she could hear the shower running before

Snow left the room, shutting the door behind her and making her way to the little waiting room where she knew their family to be waiting.

She found Charming sitting in one of the plastic chairs, leaning forward with his head in his hands, Red and Belle sitting not far from him on the other chairs, a small bag at their feet.

"Snow!" Red noticed her before Charming, "How is she?"

"I don't know," Snow admitted even as Charming nearly leap to his feet, pulling her close in a hug.

"Whale said her mouth is going to need stitches but otherwise she's...she doesn't need medical intervention." She amended her statement. The word 'fine' could not be applied in any context to this situation. "He said he can't let her go home yet but...She's in the shower. I said I'd go get someone to bring her clothes." Snow held onto Charming like Emma had to her; an anchor against all the storm of emotions around them.

"One step ahead of you," Red said, holding up the little bag, "We stopped to grab her some things."

"Granny's keeping Henry for the day," Charming spoke finally, leaning back but keeping his arm around her when she accepted the bag. "She's shut down the Diner and everything."

"Oh Gods, Henry." Snow closed her eyes, "What did you tell him?"

"We just said there was an accident and Emma was hurt, but that you two were taking care of her." Belle said quickly, "He said to give her his love and promise he'll see her soon."

"Thank you two," Snow shifted the bag in her arms and leaned against Charming again, "Did you find anything at the station?"

"I can't find anything," Red growled in frustration, "It's driving me crazy! All I can smell is Charming and Emma. I can't scent anyone else. I don't know how they got around it."

"You'll figure it out," Belle took Red's hadn't in hers to keep the woman from pulling at her hair.

"They...they, um, did a kit." Snow choked back tears again, "They can find out that way." She wiped at her eyes, "I better get back to Emma...I'm sorry," she looked up at Charming, "I should have noticed her leave."

"I should have left sooner." Charming leaned down and kissed his wife chastely, "Go see her, I'll be out here if she needs me."

Snow nodded and reluctantly pulled away, bag in arms.

"We'll be waiting too if you need anything." Belle promised, resuming her earlier position with Red.

* * *

Snow sat the bag of clothes down on the hospital bed, walking to the bathroom door and knocked,

"Emma?"

No response.

"Emma, if you don't answer I'm going to come in!" Snow called out.

Still no response.

Snow turned the handle and pushed the door open and was instantly blasted by steam. "Emma?" She shut the door behind her and pulled open the shower curtain. "Emma!"

Emma was curled up on the shower floor scrubbing furiously at her ribs with a washcloth. Her skin was bright red from the heat of the shower and Snow hissed in pain at the near scalding water when she reached to turn it off.

"Emma," She knelt next to her and placed her hand over Emma's, trying to still the motions.

"Can't get him off me," Emma sobbed, rubbing at her ribs again where the scratch marks were now worse looking as she'd rubbed her skin nearly raw.

She hadn't had a chance to see the few injuries Emma had gained before, to absorbed in trying to keep the woman calm and her attention on herself and now her heart clenched.

Emma's ribs were raw where she'd been scrubbing over a set of four long scratches she knew had to be from someone's nails, her right hip was covered in half-moon marks from nails and Snow could just make out a dark circular bruise on Emma's breast she knew from experience had to be from a bite.

"Okay, it's okay, Emma." Snow gently took the cloth from Emma and ignored her clothes getting wet in favour of comforting her daughter.

"Can't get him off." Emma clung to Snow, tears running down her face.

"Shh, it's okay." Snow bit her lip and moved to get Emma to sit back a bit. "Do you want me to help?"

Emma just nodded, eyes closed.

"Okay." Snow nodded as well, wringing the washcloth out to rid some of the boiling hot water and set about washing Emma, trying to remain impassive.

When it came time to get out of the shower and get her wrapped out Snow realized just how exhausted the medication had made Emma when her legs didn't seem to want to cooperate.

"Emma, I can't carry you on my own," Snow said regretfully, getting Emma to sit down on the toilet seat lid wrapped in one of the hospital's towels. "I have to get Dav – Charming," She corrected herself quickly at Emma's flinch, "or I can call for Red and she can help. Otherwise I'll have to get a nurse."

"Red." Emma said quietly, fighting the urge to sleep, resting her head on her mother's stomach.

Snow nodded, running her fingers lightly over Emma's still wet hair. She didn't even step away, just turned to the door and raised her voice slightly, not even yelling, "Red, I need your help!"

Less than a minute later there was a knock and Red stuck her head in, "Snow?"

"Help me get Emma to bed, please?" Snow rubbed her hands over Emma's shoulders, grounding the woman, "The meds are getting to her."

"Yeah, of course. Um," Red looked conflicted, "I can help you or I can just...carry her?" Red suggested, unsure of Emma's reaction.

"Emma?" Snow stroked Emma's hair, "Can you let Red carry you? It'll be quicker."

Emma just nodded, clearly past caring at the moment.

Snow stepped away and Emma's hand shot out to grab hers. "I'm not going anywhere." Snow promised.

"Right um..." Red manoeuvred in the tiny bathroom and knelt down onto one knee next to Emma, "Can you put your arm around my neck, like that," Red kept her voice low and calm as Emma slipped her arm around Red's neck. Red slowly slid her arm under Emma's knees till the woman was held against her chest. "Ready?" Emma nodded weakly and Red rose to her feet, Emma cradled like an infant against her, "Snow?"

Snow pulled the door open and moved out of the way. She waited by the bed, moving the bag to the floor and watched Red carry Emma as if she didn't weigh anything. Red's abilities as a Child of the Moon never ceased to amaze her.

Red set Emma down carefully on the bed and made sure the girl was balanced properly before stepping back. "Snow, your shirt's soaked."

"It's fine." Snow brushed her off.

"No, it's not. Here," Red unbuttoned her over shirt as Snow protested and held it out, standing in the room in only her tank-top. "I've got a jacket I can put on. Here."

Snow sighed but exchanged her wet shirt for the dry one quickly before grabbing Emma's bag and setting it back on the bed.

"Red and Belle brought you some clothes. We'll get you changed and you can rest for a little while before they do your stitches." Snow dug into the bag, smiling a little at their choice of clothing. They'd grabbed a pair of oversized worn pyjama pants and a well loved t-shirt that once held a logo now so faded she couldn't read it.

"I just want to go home." Emma whispered, leaning her head down again.

"You will, we just have to get done here first." Snow toyed with the t-shirt for a moment. "Can you lift your arms up for me, Emma?" She was careful to not use orders, to keep all her requirements as questions. Once Emma did as asked she helped her slip the t-shirt on, Red careful averting her eyes as Snow helped her dress.

She brushed her hair out carefully and pulled it back into a braid, tying it off with a rubber band, "Better?"

Emma nodded but didn't say anything as Snow helped her get settled back on the bed. She looked concerned and like she was fighting against the meds again for a moment, "Where's Henry?"

"He's staying with Granny for the day. She's going to take care of him till we're home," Snow assured her.

"Yeah," Red nodded, "David said he was gonna stop by and check on him and grab lunch for you two." Red froze in shock when at David's name Emma let out a little whimper and closed her eyes tightly, her whole body shaking. "I--"

"Tell Charming to get something soft," Snow stressed the name, reaching out to take hold of Emma's hand again, trying not to say anything as a tear slipped down Emma's face. "Something easy."

"I...yeah, I'll call him...Snow...?" Red's eyes flicked between Emma and then Snow again, "What...?"

Snow shook her head, trying to indicate her lack of understanding without words.

"Right, I'll...Call me if you need anything," Red said finally, "I'll be outside with Belle..."

Snow nodded, "Thank you." She hugged Red with one arm, her left hand still in Emma's.

 


	3. Pieces

Whale looked down at the test results and wished mightily for a drink. Normally he'd dig into his desk drawer for the bottle of bourbon he kept tucked in there, but if he wanted to be taken seriously he couldn't have any alcohol in his system at all.

DNA results on who had raped Emma had come back, not through any criminal records, but from hospital records themselves.

It had only taken about an hour before the machine had made a connection and spit out David Nolan as the culprit.

Whale really did not like the man on any level, but to be capable of this...

He'd ran the results three times, each time it came back the same.

It didn't help matters that just a little while ago the nurses had alerted him to Emma having a panic attack so severe she was screaming and refusing to be touched, each scream threatening her new stitches.

He'd been forced to sedate her for her own good but no one could figure out what had set her off at the time. Mary Margaret had been shocked as them and David stood near the door looking just as upset.

_'No wonder she was so scared,'_ Whale thought to himself, tracing the names on the paper with his thumbnail. Her rapist/father had been in the room with her and no one had known it.

Who did you go to with this sort of information when the Sheriff was sedated, the Deputy/Prince in charge was the villain and the Princess in charge was far from impartial?

He grabbed the papers and stuffed them into a file, grabbing his jacket and tugging it on before leaving his office, file in hand.

Whale stopped a passing nurse, hand on her arm, "Need your help for a moment."

"Of course, Dr. Whale. What do you need?" She asked eagerly.

"You're a native to the Enchanted Forest, I'm...not quite the same. Tell me, if Prince James and Princess Snow are indisposed, who comes next in the hierarchy? Who takes control?"

"Oh, well...um," She looked puzzled for a moment, "King George, but he's currently...missing," she tried to find a nice way to put 'wanted for murder', "So next would be Princess Abigail, daughter of King Midas." the way she said their names, almost reverently, made him think she was probably one of their subjects.

Whale made an impatient noise, "Non-native, I need her Storybrooke name."

"Oh, Kathryn Nolan!" She smiled brightly and he resisted the urge to curse.

"Thank you. I'm going out, if you need me page me and do NOT let any males, related or not of any age into Sheriff Swan's room. If they argue you tell them to take it up with me." Whale gave the order, "Tell the other nurses the same."

"Yes, Dr. Whale."

Figured the next in the chain of command would be his 'wife' here. Stupid Royals were always so...insular.

* * *

As it turned out, Kathryn Nolan – Princess Abigail – lived in the Nolan's home still and he found himself a little surprised.

He hunched his shoulders against the chill and knocked hard on the front door, waiting almost impatiently for an answer.

"Can I help you?" A male he didn't recognize answered and eyed him speculatively. The man had to be younger than him, probably around David and Mary Margaret's age.

"I seek an audience with Princess Abigail," Whale tried to remember how to properly address royalty, it wouldn't do to offend them before they heard him out, "And King Midas, if he's available."

The man looked him up and down but nodded and opened the door, letting Whale into the warm home, "She's in the living room." he indicated to his left where a fire was blazing in the fireplace and the woman he knew as Kathryn Nolan sat curled up on the couch in what looked like pyjamas, probably day clothes chosen for comfort and not style, across from her sat a smiling older man with blond curls around his shoulders.

"Abigail," the man called out, walking ahead of Whale, "Dr. Whale seeks an audience with you."

"With me or...?" She sat up and put her feet on the floor, entire demeanour changing.

"With Princess Abigail," Whale informed her, not wanting to play around when David was still out and roaming around unchecked. "I assume by now you've heard of what happened in town?" he tested the waters, watching the man walk to stand behind Abigail, hands on the back of the couch protectively. Whale wondered vaguely if he were a royal as well.

"Some," Abigail looked to the older man then back to Whale, sadness crossing her face, "Rumours. Sheriff Swan was attacked."

"She was raped," Whale spoke bluntly, "I need your help to bring in the one responsible." he continued when she gasped in shock.

"You know who did this?" the older man demanded, "Then why not bring it to Prince James' attention? He is acting Deputy."

"Because 'Prince James' is the one responsible." Whale sneered the man's name and held the folder out to Abigail. "I ran the test three times."

"We all know those tests can be wrong, be faked." Abigail was pale as she took the folder and opened it, slowly looking over each print out of each test. 

Whale growled in annoyance, "I personally preformed all three tests," he told her, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "I did not make a mistake and I did not fake anything."

"If what you say is true then it's a side of James none of us have ever seen," the older male stood, hands clenched at his side.

"Midas," the man behind the couch's voice was strong but calming, "We do not know for sure."

"We do," Whale snapped, "I do not make mistakes. The woman had to be sedated when Dav-Prince James entered the room she was screaming and fighting and so...terrified."

"We would have seen something like this before now." Midas countered.

"He never had a daughter before now." Whale shot back with aggravation, anger growing. Royals always protected their own.

"Okay," Abigail closed her eyes and tucked the papers away. "Father, I know it should fall to you but would you let me take point on this?"

Midas nodded, "Yes. If anyone questions you I will speak on your behalf."

"Thank you," Abigail stood, folder in hand still, "Dr. Whale, please do not speak of this to anyone else until I have looked into it."

"You're going to cover for him." Whale accused, hands clenched tightly in his pockets.

"No, I am going to look into it on my own and then do what is right." Abigail spoke with confidence and he felt himself shrinking back a little. "First I'm going to change clothes however and contact Prince Thomas. If James did indeed do this then I'll need help bringing him in and if he did not I'll need help proving that."

"Prince Thomas?"

"Sean Herman." Abigail studied Whale's face, "Will you keep this between us until I've had time?"

"Yes," Whale nodded after a moment of thought, "Provided you actually do something about this."

"I will," Abigail said solemnly, "Father?"

"I'll distract King Lois if you need," Midas answered her unspoken question, "Princess Ella as well. Obviously I need to coo over the new baby Princess."

"Frederick, let me alone for this?" Abigail turned to address the other man, "Keep watch here."

"Of course." he nodded.

"I'll get back to the hospital. Sheriff Swan is staying over night thanks to the sedation and observation," Whale withdrew his hand from his pocket and offered it to her, "Thank you."

Abigail took it and he noted her grip was actually firm, not delicate as he'd assumed. "I'll do what's best, you do not need to thank me for that. Keep watch over them. If this is true then Snow will be heartbroken."

* * *

Abigail could count on both hands the number of interactions she'd had with Thomas and Ella before she was cursed. Mostly land deals, gold and goods traded. They were both younger than her by a number of years, Thomas training in battle while Ella was a 'servant', so they weren't exactly peers.

  James wouldn't have done this, not the man she'd known but the tests that Whale had given her were weighing on her, as was the burning thought that the James she had known was childless and couldn't have done this before.

She didn't enter Thomas' house, firm that she didn't want this in there, not around his family and it was not something that she wanted shared until she was absolutely sure and refused to talk until he'd left his home and was safely in her car, doors locked and parked just outside of the main part of town.

"No, absolutely not," Thomas shook his head, papers held so tightly in his hands that they were crumpling around his grip. "James would not do this. James couldn't do this, it's just...not him."

"Whale ran it three times personally." Abigail rested her hands on the steering wheel, eyes straight ahead. She didn't want to believe it either.

"Whale also hates James." Thomas pointed out. "He could have done this just to frame him."

"He said that Emma was so scared she had to be sedated when James entered the room."

"That...that could be a reaction to a male presence."

"It could be. I made him agree to keep it between us for now and said I'd look into it with your help." Abigail covered her face with her hands for a moment then breathed deep and sat back, lowering her hands. "Impartial, Thomas, if this were not James what would your next step be?"

"I'd..." Thomas thought about it, "Ask anyone near the station at that time who they saw around. James has been too distracted to do so."

"Storybrooke method...The station should have cameras." Abigail realized, "Covering entrance and exits at least if not the cells. We could check those, see who entered the station."

"It wasn't James." Thomas repeated his conviction, desperate to prove his cousin innocent.

"I hope to the Gods it wasn't." Abigail started her car again. "Know anyone who could let us into the station that isn't a suspect or sedated?"

"Ruby maybe," Thomas watched out the window as they started driving again. "She was Deputy for a while, when you were missing."

"She's also a Child of the Moon. She'd be able to scent anyone who was there." Abigail nodded, "Do you have her number?"

"She's a good friend of Ella's," he dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Do we let her in on it?"

"Not yet. Just say we need her help and it's important. If she says no...tell her it's life or death." 

Surely if James had done this Snow would murder him. 

* * *

“I don't see why you couldn't just ask Charming,” Red stood outside the station, keys in hand and Belle at her side. 

“Charming is busy dealing with family things,” Abigail informed her, “Just let us in.” 

“What do you need in there anyway?” Red asked cautiously, fingers toying with the keys she held. “That's confidential.” 

“Trust me,” Thomas looked at Red, trying to keep her and Abigail from glaring at each other, “We're not going to mess with anything. We just need to get something.” 

“I trust you, not her.” Red found the right key and unlocked the door, entering the building before them and turning the lights on. 

“I don't care if you don't trust me,” Abigail said honestly, passing Red for the main room and opening the door to the Sheriff's office. She looked around briefly, searching the room for what she needed.

“What could you possibly need in there?” Red demanded, face contorted in disgust at the smells that still remained. 

“Nothing that concerns you,” Abigail brushed her off. 

“Heard what happened here this morning,” Thomas tried to sound offhanded even as Abigail sat down and turned the computer screen on, trying not to think of why it was still on. “You able to scent out who hurt Emma yet?”

“What'd you hear?” Belle questioned worriedly.

“Rumours.” Thomas shrugged. “Someone beat up the Sheriff.” he lied gracefully.

“Couldn't tell who did it,” Red said after a minute with so much aggravation and sorrow that Abigail had to force herself not to react. “Only scents around were Charming and Emma's. Every other scent was far too old to be related to what happened.”

“You may go.” Abigail dismissed her more harshly than she'd intended as she tried to block away the emotions attached to the woman's statement, “We'll lock up when we're done.” 

“You don't get to tell me what to do.” Red glared at her, “You're not my Princess.” 

Abigail bit back a growl of annoyance. Of course not, Snow and James' best friend could not make this easy on her. “No, I am not, but when the Royals you do answer to and who run the town are indisposed their responsibilities and status falls to me.” Abigail glanced to Thomas who was trying not to say anything and then to Belle who looked far too concerned. 

Technically Belle was a Princess as well, but from something more akin to a Principality than a Kingdom, putting her lowest on the list for 'taking control'. “So I'll say again: leave.” 

Red looked conflicted and growled before turning on her heel and storming off, Belle following worriedly. 

“You know she's going to Snow and James now, don't you?” Thomas shut the door to the office and sat on the edge of the desk.

“I have no doubt.” Abigail replied, moving the cursor on the screen to the icon set up for the cameras. “I also have no doubt that James will come to see what we're doing before long in a way to distract himself.” The camera's were still going and when she rewound she found herself on the tapes. She set it back to midnight from the night before and began to fast-forward through the footage.

“There's Emma.” Thomas said finally as light started to show on the video that wasn't from a streetlight. Emma looked tired, but not stressed or worried or anything to indicate something bad might happen soon or she was fearful of anything. They watched worriedly, both holding their breath as they let it play out again. 

Less than five minutes later another person appeared on the camera, looking quite content and almost smiling.

A very familiar person. 

“James.” Abigail breathed out in horror, pausing the footage on the face of the man she'd once been engaged to. 

“Fuck.” Thomas ground out, hands tightening to fists. 

“He couldn't, Abigail, he wouldn't.” 

“He's on video. Whale has tests.” Abigail said blankly, closing her eyes against the rising revulsion. She opened them again and focused on the screen, reeling the video back till his face and the time was clear on it. “We'll talk to those who would have been around then,” She decided, setting it to print a copy of the frame off. “Who would be around that early?”

“Uh...” Thomas willed his brain to work, “Hopper, maybe. He's a morning person...Granny and Red but Red's already said what she knows...We have to arrest him, don't we, Abigail?”

“I'm afraid so.” Abigail shut the video down to the blank desktop and grabbed the photo printout from the printer, tucking it neatly into the folder she still had from Whale that contained the test results.

“We could wait and talk to Emma when she wakes up.” Thomas suggested.

“Thomas, if it were your child what would you do?” Abigail asked quietly.

“Nothing that's legal around here.”

* * *

They were in her car and had just started it when her phone started ringing.

“Who is it?” Thomas buckled his seatbelt in the passenger's seat.

“James.” she replied simply, just looking at the number belonging to the man who was for a time her husband in this world. “If I answer he'll demand answers I can't give.”

“If you ignore him he'll come locate us himself, see what we're doing.” Thomas pointed out. 

“Is that a bad thing? We could avoid a confrontation by getting him to come here.” Still, she found herself pressing answer. “Hello.” 

_“_ _Abigail, what are you doing ordering Red around and breaking into the Sheriff's station?”_ his voice was annoyed and a step from anger. 

“I did not break in. I got her to open it for me.” 

_“_ _Why?”_

“Emma's helping me with something. I needed some things on her computer.” 

_“_ _What could she possibly be helping you and Thomas with?”_

“That's a conversation I don't feel like having right now.” Abigail said shortly, “We've left the station and it's done with for now. If your friend gets that upset at being given a simple order I don't see how she could ever have been a good solider.” _“_

_Abigail!”_

“Goodbye, David.” she intentionally used his curse name and hung up. She turned to Thomas then, “I would ask if you'd rather take Dr. Hopper or Emma for questions but that is a little stupid to ask.” 

“I'll take Hopper, but could you drop me home first? If this continues like this I'd rather be properly armed and ready.” 

“You own a sword?”

“First thing I did once things started happening was get one from Gold.” Thomas told her, “I have a family to protect.” 

“Good man. Frederick did the same.” Abigail tapped her fingers against the steering wheel, “Whale said Emma was sedated. Perhaps it would be best to leave her till morning. She might speak easier if she knows he's behind bars.” “We'll talk to Hopper first.” 

* * *

Their hearts only sunk lower after talking to Dr. Hopper who confirmed quiet easily that he'd seen David that morning minutes after the tape said he'd left again. That David had even waved and smiled to him. 

“Rope?” Abigail asked Thomas as they waited outside of the apartment building James and his family lived in. 

“Handcuffs are too easily thwarted and I don't have the keys for any.” Thomas said, fiddling and tying a knot. It looked almost like three loops, but she couldn't figure them out. 

They didn't have to wait long before Frederick pulled up. He parked and got out, crossing to them. 

“Knight duties now involve babysitting?” 

“They do when it's a little Prince and we like their family.” Abigail briefly allowed herself to sink into Frederick's arms before pulling back.

* * *

“You sure it's just him?” Frederick asked, climbing the stairs with them.

“Snow's at the hospital staying with Emma. Red's probably with Belle asleep.” Thomas told him. 

“Just him is still a problem.” Abigail knocked hard on the door to wake James.

It was past midnight, but they'd had to wait. If they did this any time earlier the entire town would know, something they were desperate to avoid. 

When James did answer the door he was clad in sleep pants and a shirt, looking rather haggard. “Abigail? Thomas, Frederick?” She could see the moment he noticed the swords on both men's hips and the rope in Thomas' hands. “What's going on?” 

“We need you to come with us, James.” Thomas replied.

“Why? What's happened?” James narrowed his eyes in suspicion. 

“You know why.” Thomas' voice was resigned and he stepped forward, rope twisting in hand. “You're under arrest, James.” 

“What the hell?” James was sleepy and unprepared but still put up a valiant fight against Thomas, nearly besting him several times. 

“Gramps?” Henry called from the stairs. He noticed the fight on the floor and yelled louder, “Gramps!”

“Frederick, help Thomas.” Abigail said quietly, crossing the room and catching Henry quickly. “Stay back.”

“Mrs. Nolan! What are they doing?” Henry demanded, trying to escape her arms. 

“It's 'Abigail',” she nearly flinched at the old name. “We need your Gramps to come with us for a bit.” 

“You can't! He didn't do anything.” Henry nearly quaked in her arms, “You can't take him too!” 

Between both men they'd finally got James subdued on the ground, the weird rope knot that Thomas had been making now around both his wrists and leading a line up his back and around his throat.

“You remember this knot, James,” Thomas told him softly, “The more you struggle the tighter it'll get and I'm in no mood to loosen it.” 

“Henry, we've got to take him with us for a little while but Frederick,” Abigail extended her hand to call the other man over, “is going to stay here with you, okay?” 

“No. You can't take my Gramps.” Henry tried to run to James but this time Frederick easily caught him and lifted him off the ground. “Please!”

“I'm sorry, Henry.” Abigail said as Thomas hauled James from the room, the older man still cursing and struggling. “Don't let him out and don't let him contact anyone till morning.” Abigail dictated, “If anyone comes by...” 

“I know.” Frederick nodded, both arms around the struggling ten year old. “Go.” 

Abigail took a breath, trying to avoid Henry's eyes and left, shutting the door tight behind her. As she walked down the stairs to her car and the two Princes she heard the locks click into place behind her and Henry crying.

 


	4. Cracks

Henry wanted his mom. He'd never wanted her more as he lay curled up in his Grandparents bed, clinging to his Grams' pillow. She was in the hospital though, and they wouldn't tell him anything other than she was hurt. Snow was with her too and he didn't have any way to talk to them.

They both had their cellphones with them, but Frederick had taken Charming's phone from the

nightstand and pocketed it before unplugging the house phone and setting it on the kitchen table.

They took Charming away yelling and tied up. How could good people do that?

Frederick had tried to be nice, talking to his softly, telling him how smart he was for helping to break the curse. He'd even pointed out which story in the book was his and his wife's.

When Henry had begged he'd relented easily enough and tucked Henry into his Grandparent's bed.

The alarm clock said it was just after three in the morning.

He couldn't sleep.

He was terrified for his mom, for his Gramps.

He needed to contact them.

He closed his eyes tightly when he heard Frederick move from his spot on the couch to check on him again.

What was it Grams had said this morning...Yell for Red and she'll hear you no matter where you are. Red was in town. Red was only a few blocks away and Red told him one day she could hear for miles if the day was nice enough and the weather calm.

Red could save him if she was listening and if she wasn't...

He pushed the covers back and stood, instantly gaining Frederick's attention.

“I have to pee,” Henry announced, gesturing to the bathroom.

Frederick crossed to the bathroom and looked in, clearly checking to make sure there was no escape route and nodded, “Okay.”

Henry hurried in and locked the door behind him, his heart racing and his stomach cold in fear. If this didn't work...What if they didn't save his Gramps?

The window in the bathroom was too tiny for even him to get through but it did open. He put the seat down and then climbed onto the toilet, balancing with his hands on the windowsill for a moment.

Slowly Henry undid the lock, listening for any noise to indicate Frederick was nearby and pushed the window open.

He was just at the right level to stick his head out, not that the rest of him would fit. He nearly cursed his size. Even his palms were sweating now.

The air was cold and hurt his lungs but he took a deep breath anyway.

“RED!” he screamed as loud as he could into the night, praying she was listening, praying she'd hear him...that someone would. Red was his Grams and Gramps best friend in the world. She'd do anything for them, she'd said so herself. “RED, HELP!”

“Henry!” he heard Frederick trying to open the door, “Henry!”

“RED, HELP ME! RED! PLEASE!”

He heard a click and the bathroom door swung open. Frederick dropped the now mangled coat hanger he held that he'd used to pop the lock and grabbed Henry around his waist to lift him down.

“RED!” He screamed frantically one last time as Frederick lifted him down, arm around his waist and shut the window hard.

“What have you done?” Frederick hissed out. “You...Oh Gods.”

“You can't hurt my Gramps.” Henry growled, fighting against Frederick's grasp.

“You just insured he'd be hurt.” Frederick told him flatly, carrying him out of the bathroom and dropping him onto his Grandparents bed again.

“Wh-what?” Henry's eyes went wide, his voice trembled. That wasn't possible. He couldn't have done anything to make his Gramps hurt...could he?

Frederick dug into his coat pocket, gesturing for Henry to stay where he was and dialled someone. “Abigail? I don't know if you heard him but...Yeah, pretty much. Think she could hear him?” Frederick looked at Henry with a look of utter disappointment that made his stomach hurt. “Okay. I'll be ready. Just stay safe, love.”

He ended the call and tucked his phone away again and stood, one hand on his sword watching the door carefully.

“What are you going to do?” Henry demanded, hands shaking as they clung to the metal footboard.

“As my Queen commands.” Frederick didn't even glance in Henry's direction.

Henry closed his eyes tightly praying for something but he wasn't sure what. Maybe it was for Red to come save him, for Red not to have heard him, for his Mom to come get him, for his Gramps to be okay.

* * *

“Apparently your Grandson went yelling for Red to help him.” Abigail hung up her cellphone and pocketed it.

James stood in the cell, neck and wrists bruised red and scratched in places from fighting against his bonds, his hands holding tightly to the cell bars looking angrier than she'd ever seen him. “Good!”

 “Not really, now that means everything has to be adjusted forward and people are more likely to get hurt.” Abigail covered her eyes with her hand for a moment, deep in thought. After a moment she lowered it again, “Thomas?”

“Hmm?” Thomas looked up at her from his spot at the deputy's desk, sword across his lap.

“Do you want to take the hospital or would you rather face the wrath of whoever makes their way here?” Abigail offered charitably, tapping her fingers lightly against the desk as if they were talking of no more than party plans.

“If Red shows up here at least I have a sword,” Thomas responded, tapping the flat of the blade against his thigh. “Snow...”

“I'll take the hospital.” She sighed and checked her watch. “If she did hear him she'll be there any minute. If she takes him...Frederick will come here to help you. Do you need me to call my Father in?”

“I'll do fine on my own for a little while. Gods speed.” Thomas grasped her hand in his for a moment.

She nodded, “Good luck.” Abigail said softly, grabbing her coat and leaving down the hall for her car.

“Why are you doing this, Thomas?” James demanded, “Why imprison me?”

“You hurt Emma,” Thomas met his eyes and saw the torment and rage there, “I'm doing my job.”

“I'd **NEVER** hurt my daughter. You think I'm capable of this?”

“Doesn't matter what I think,” Thomas told him, “It matters what can be proven.”

“What? You...how can you prove I did something I didn't?”

“Three different DNA tests all indicating you as the person who...hurt Emma,” He couldn't bring himself to say that word and fought back bile at the idea of it.

“No, no, Thomas, no. I wouldn't. I couldn't!” James shook his head furiously and Thomas could see his hands turning white where they were clenching the bars. “She's my daughter!” he sounded so desperate that Thomas had to steel himself against it.

“We have video of you entering after Emma and leaving just before Belle entered.” Thomas continued. “Red said she didn't smell anyone around but you and Emma.”

“That's not possible.” James shook his head, “Thomas, I didn't do this.”

Thomas found himself standing and moving closer to the cell but standing out of reach, “James, I want to believe you but until I hear the words from Emma herself I can't. The evidence all points to you. If it wasn't you, if Emma tells us that herself then I will be the first person to beg apology on my hands and knees,” Thomas took a breath and readjusted his grip on his sword, “If you did it then...”

“I didn't, Thomas, I swear.” James pleaded with him to believe him.

“What if it were Alexandra and I?” Thomas swallowed hard, “What would you do?”

“I...” James sunk his head down to rest on the bars, “The same damn thing only a hell of a lot less gently.”

“Exactly.” Thomas nodded, “Abigail is going to talk to Emma. The cell...If it is you then you're locked up and Emma feels safe enough to talk. If it wasn't you then all we've had is you hanging around a cell overnight and no one any the wiser...or was the plan.” Thomas sat down on the sofa next to the cell, not returning to the desk. “Didn't think Henry would scream for Red.”

“Thomas, you abducted me violently from my house the day his Mom was attacked and taken away, his Grandmother is at the hospital with her and his other Mother figure is running around with HER Mother who is psychotic. You're lucky you lasted this long without him screaming.”

Thomas sighed, leaning his head back against the cushions, “We'll know soon enough.” 

* * *

The metal under his hands felt hot and Henry could feel his stomach knotting as he sat on the bed, eyes fixed on the door.

It'd been ten minutes, maybe she hadn't heard? Maybe they were safe and his Gramps wouldn't be hurt.

“HENRY! CHARMING!” Red's voice easily penetrated the apartment door, “Open up!”

He watched the handle jiggle and held his breath. Frederick glanced towards him and shifted his stance to draw easier.

“If you don't open this door I'm breaking it down.” Red threatened. “Count of five.”

Henry clenched the metal so hard he felt his fingers going numb.

“Four.”

Frederick drew his sword.

“Three.”

Henry bit his lip hard.

“Two.”

“RED RUN!” Henry yelled, hoping to stop it. Hoping to save her.

Apparently it was the wrong thing to do.

Frederick let out a noise of exasperation and pointed his sword at the door moments before the wooden lock was broken in two, the metal lock forced open and the door shoved open so hard it hit the wall with a cracking noise.

Red stood in the doorway, angrier than he'd ever seen her, looking like she'd just climbed out of bed.

“Leave.” Frederick said tightly.

“Not happening.” Henry could have sworn Red's eyes flashed gold and she had crossed the space between her and Frederick before he could even blink.

She had Frederick held in the air, her right hand tight on his throat, her left hand holding his arm that held the sword. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Belle came through the door before Frederick could answer and immediately hurried to his side. “Are you okay?” Belle asked, hands covering his where they gripped the footboard.

“They took my Gramps!” He exclaimed, loosening his grip and letting Belle pull him into a hug.

“What?” Red nearly growled, “Who took him?” she didn't let go of Frederick, didn't look away from him but the question was directed at Henry.

“Mrs. Nolan and Ashley's fiancé.” Henry wasn't sure of their Fairy Tale equivalents and hoped Red knew.

“Abigail and Thomas.” He could see Red tighten her grip on the slowly reddening Frederick, “Why'd they take him?”

“Committed a crime.” Frederick croaked, left hand on Red's arm to try and make her let go.

"WHAT crime?" Red demanded.

"Hurt...Emma." Frederick was struggling to breathe now.

"He never did." Red growled.

"Got proof." He choked.

"Lies! Where'd they take him?" He was going to have a bruise, Henry thought, in the shape of Red's hand.

"Sheriff’s station."

Red let him drop to the ground, "If he's been harmed at all."

Frederick didn't give them time to ask or say anything else, just grabbed his sword and ran.

"He's gone to tell them." Henry realized fearfully.

Red crossed to the bed and turned from warrior to caregiver in a moment. "Are you okay?" Red asked in concern, hands light as they cupped his face to examn him.

"I'm okay, I...they took my Gramps." Henry was at the end of his emotional rope it seemed. His Mom was hurt and gone, he hadn't seen his Grams since they'd dropped him at Granny's and now his Gramps was taken. "I want my Mom." he admitted.

"We'll get your Gramps back safe," Red promised him.

"Don't worry about your Mum," Belle ran her fingers over his hair, "She's safe and probably still asleep with your Grams."

* * *

 

"Here," Red tossed Belle her carkeys once they were outside, "Take the car and go to the hospital. Get to Emma before they can and tell Snow what's going on."

"Henry?" Belle palmed the carkeys.

"Don't make me go to Grannys," Henry pleaded. They couldn't make him sit away and not know what was going on again.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, bud." Red assured him, holding his left hand with her right hand,

"We're going to the Station."

"Anything you want me to tell them?" Belle asked.

"That I'm working on it and...If Emma's awake..." Red bit her lip and clenched her left hand into a fist.

"I know." Belle said softly.

Henry looked away and made a token noise of disgust when Belle kissed Red goodbye.

"How are we getting to the Station if she's got the car?" Henry questioned, "Especially if we want to get there before others."

"We're running." Red told him, watching Belle buckle up and start the car.

"I can't run that far or that fast." Henry frowned.

"I can." Red smiled at him and half knelt on the ground, one foot planted and her left knee on the ground. She put her hands behind her in an unmistakeable gesture for him to climb on.

"I'm too heavy for you." Henry protested, not wanting to hurt her.

"Wolf, Henry," Red smiled reassuringly, "I could lift your Gramps if I needed."

"Really?" He looked sceptical but did move behind her, wrapping his arms around her neck and his knees on either side of her waist.

Her hands grabbed hold of the back of his thighs to lift him up a little higher and she stood easily. "Yup. Hold on tight, Buddy, we're running."

Henry tightened his grip though he didn't quite believe her.

When it took her ten seconds to make it the rest of the way down the block he turned his tight hold to a death grip and hid his face against her shoulders. --

* * *

There were only a handful of cars in the parking lot and Belle didn't see Thomas' car amongst them.

She found herself hoping desperately as she ran down the halls towards Emma's room that no one working with Abigial or Thomas had made it there yet.

She found Snow looking half awake sitting curled up in her chair next to Emma's bed, the blonde was still fast asleep.

"Belle?" Snow looked up at her as Belle entered and shut the door behind her. "Get dressed in the dark?" Snow laughed a little, unsure as to what Belle was doing at the hospital.

Belle looked down and resisted the urge to sigh. When Red had awoken to Henry's screaming they'd just grabbed clothes and ran pretty much, leaving her in her green and blue horizontally striped pajama top and Red's pink and white vertically stripped pyjama pants that she'd had to roll up about four times. At least Red probably looked better in her blue pyjama shorts. "Dressed in a hurry," Belle corrected, "Snow, something's happened."

"What?" Snow sat up fully, her feet on the floor and her eyes darted to Emma and then back to Belle. "What happened? Please tell me no one else--"

"Abigail and Thomas have arrested Da-Charming," Belle corrected herself automatically.

"What? Why? How?" Snow's face flickered between angry and worried.

"When you two are 'out of commision' she takes charge, remember?" Belle reminded her of their earlier issue when Red had gotten mad.

"Why did they arrest him?" Snow pressed.

Belle didn't know an easy way to put it, a way that wouldn't be a blow. "They think he attacked Emma."

"What?" Snow nearly yelled it and Emma stirred on the bed. Snow absently reached out and soothed

Emma back to sleep before turning to Belle. She stood from her chair and pulled Belle closer to the doorway, away from Emma, "Why do they think that? How could they think that?"

"I don't know. Frederick said something about 'proof'. They took him from your apartment."

"Henry?"

"They left Frederick with him to guard, I guess, but he's with Red now. She was headed to the station to get Charming out."

"I..." Snow looked torn, clearly wanting both to stay with her daughter and protect her husband.

"Go save Charming, I'll stay with Emma and protect her." Belle promised.

"I don't have my car here.

Belle held out the keys to Red's car. If Snow could trust her with Emma, trust Red with Henry then they could trust her with a car. "Here, take Red's. Just hurry. I don't want her to hurt Thomas, she'd never forgive herself."

"If Emma wakes up..." Snow trailed off, glancing back towards her daughter.

"I'll tell her you'll be right back." Belle took up Snow's old seat next to Emma's bed and smiled tightly at Snow. "Go."

"I'll be back as soon as I get this fixed." Snow swore before hurrying out into the night.

* * *

 "Charming!"

"Gramps!"

Charming's heart stopped briefly as he jolted from his spot on the jail bed to see Red and Henry running towards him.

"Red, Henry! What are you doing here?" Charming stood and moved to the bars, reaching through them and grabbing Henry's hand when he held it out.

"Saving you." Henry told him seriously.

"Thomas, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Red growled out her question, passing Henry to stand between him and the man with the sword.

"My job." Thomas stressed.

"Your job is to lock up innocent men now? Here I thought it was 'mechanic'. Does Ella know what you're doing?" Red's hands were clenched into fists at her sides and Charming knew she was a step away from violence.

He reached through the cells with his other hand to touch Red's arm and bring her to look at him, "You should get Henry out of here."

"I'm not leaving!" Henry cried, "Everyone's gone away and I can't...you can't make me go to Granny's again."

"He's not innocent." Thomas stood from his seat on the couch but to his credit he did sheath his sword,

 "There's proof."

"Show me." Red pulled away from Charming's grasp.

Charming found himself both wishing Thomas wouldn't show her what they had and wishing that Red would just take Henry and run. What if she didn't believe him.

"How can he think you hurt Mom?" Henry looked up at Charming with such confusion that Charming had to close his eyes for a moment.

Charming knelt down so he could look Henry in the eyes, "I don't know, Kid, but I promise you I didn't do anything."

Henry nodded, completely believing his Grandfather without question. "You wouldn't hurt Mom."

"Never." Charming gripped Henry's hand a little tighter. He looked over Henry's shoulder and saw Thomas showing Red papers. He wasn't completely sure what they were, but he had a good idea.

Red's face seemed to shut down completely, betraying no emotions or thoughts. She tossed the papers back down on the desk and walked to his cell. "Charming," she took a breath and wrapped her right hand around one of the bars, "Tell me you didn't do this."

Charming stared at her in horror and shock, "You can't think I--"

"I don't. Just...please tell me you didn't do this." Red's eyes caught his and he swallowed hard at the hints of fear he saw there.

"I didn't do this, Red, I swear to you." He rested his hand over her's and looked her in the eyes. "I promise you, I could never do this."

Red nodded, "Right. I...Thomas, you have to let him out."

"No, I don't." Thomas shook his head, "He's not going anywhere till we get confirmation."

"Henry can tell you," Red said, pulling her hand out from under Charming's, "Henry was there all morning, right?"

Charming closed his eyes and leaned his head against the bars. No, Henry couldn't tell them. Henry had been upstairs and the first time he'd seen Charming all morning was when Charming had come back inside from taking the trash out because he'd forgotten to the night before.

When Henry had come to him with his walkie-talkie worried that Emma wasn't responding.

It finally hit him like a brick, he didn't have an alibi. Henry had found him coming in from outside and Snow had just been getting out of the shower.

They had proof and Emma was sedated.

He was utterly screwed.

He could feel Henry's hand shaking in his and squeezed it to try and comfort him.

“Is that true, Henry?” Thomas crouched down to look Henry in the eye.

“I...I...Gramps wouldn't...He...” Henry stuttered, clinging tightly to his grandfather's hand.

“This is to help your Mom, Henry.” Thomas said seriously, “we need the truth.”

“I was upstairs and then I..I was downstairs and Gramps was outside 'cause he took the trash out.”

Henry's voice betrayed how afraid he was.

Though if he was afraid of the situation or of getting his Gramp's in trouble, Charming wasn't sure.

Either way he felt his heart was breaking.


	5. Conversations

“Grams!” Henry tore his hand away from Charming's and nearly ran across the room, tripping over his unlaced shoes and into Snow's arms. 

“Henry,” Snow brought her arms around him automatically in a tight hug, “Are you okay?” 

“I'm fine,” Henry nodded against her, “Everyone's mad at Gramps. They locked him up.” Henry said worriedly. He felt Snow's grip of him tighten for a moment and then her fingers stroke his hair. 

“I'm here to fix that,” Snow promised, loosening her grip but she let him hold her hand, crossing to the jail cell. “Charming, are you alright?” 

“As alright as I can be.” Charming reached through the bars and clasped her hand, “Snow, I didn't do it.” he looked almost desperate to make her believe him. 

“I know,” Snow bent her head and kissed his knuckles then let his hand go, turning to Thomas who sat on the edge of the desk. “Let him out.” Snow ordered and Henry could see the Queen she should be as her entire posture changed. Sometimes it was easy to forget she wasn't just Snow White, his Grams and a teacher at his school – or used to be anyway, they'd had to replace her when she was in the Enchanted forest – but that she was a Queen, a woman who'd led soldiers into battle, fought for her life and had hundreds who would follow her orders without question; she was a woman who got what she wanted. 

“I can't do that,” Thomas replied soberly, hand resting on his sword but he didn't draw it yet. “Abigail --” 

“I don't care. I override Abigail's orders,” Snow snapped, “Let my husband out.” 

“Only when the situation doesn't involve you potentially compromising your morals,” Thomas countered, “This is in our hands, not yours. You're conflicted.” 

“I am **not** morally compromised.” Snow growled out and Henry stepped back, letting her hand drop. 

Red reached out and tugged him to stand by her where she sat on the arm of the sofa, her arms lightly draped over his shoulders, “It's okay.” She told him softly, dropping a kiss to the top of his head and resting her chin lightly on his head, watching but not speaking. Even if she could control Thomas it probably wasn't smart to interrupt Snow, Henry realized. 

“I don't think it is.” Henry whispered back, leaning into her. 

“I think you could be.” Thomas was tapping his fingernails against the hilt of his sword in agitation, “Your true love or your daughter, it's not a choice many could make.” 

“If I thought he had done or that he could do it I would kill him myself in a heartbeat,” Snow's voice was lit with something Henry could recognize but was starting to scare him some. She waved a hand dismissively back towards the cell that held Charming, “That's not to say --” 

“I'd have done it myself and saved you the trouble if I thought for one moment I was capable.” Charming concurred with his wife and Henry looked at him in surprise. 

Snow nodded but didn't look back at him, “Thomas.” 

“Any man is capable.” Thomas caught Charming's eyes for a moment then looked back at Snow. 

“Let him out.” she insisted, ignoring his words. 

“I can't,” Thomas repeated, standing from the desk. “We have proof.” 

“Show me.” 

He lifted the file from the desk and held it out to her. Henry wasn't sure what was in the file but it had upset Red and everyone treated it like it was a signed confession. 

Snow opened it and dug through, pulling out papers and reading over them. 

“No,” she said after a moment, clutching them tightly enough they were crinkling under her hands. “They're fake.” 

“They're not. He ran it three times and we found the footage ourselves on Emma's computer.” Thomas stated. 

“Whale and Charming have been at odds since the curse broke.” Snow dismissed it. 

“Abigail said he was worried, not vengeful. He said --” 

“I don't care what he said.” Snow crumpled the papers in her hand and threw them down onto the desk, “They're wrong. He didn't do this.” 

“There's evidence.” 

“I don't care what a piece of paper says, I know in my heart he couldn't do this.” Snow looked Thomas in the eyes, “You think he did it.” she realized and Henry winced a little further backwards into Red at the look on her face, his stomach filling with ice and butterflies. 

“There's video of him entering.” Thomas replied 

“This isn't about photos or tests.” She said tightly, hands tightening at her sides. “Do you believe he did this?” 

Thomas looked between Charming in the cell, standing with his arms hooked around the bars, Red and Henry and then back to Snow, meeting her eyes and squaring his stance as if in preparation for something. “Yes.” 

It happened in the time it took Henry to blink and for a moment he wasn't sure what had happened. Snow had slapped him hard enough to create a loud crack like a firework, hard enough he'd lost his footing and crashed to the ground where he now sat, a growing red mark on the left side of his face. 

“How dare you,” She hissed, drawing herself up to her full height and positively shaking with fury. “How dare you count yourself as our friend, as our ally and yet still believe my husband capable of rape.” the word was spat out like it were poison and Henry found himself unable to breathe. 

“I have to pee.” Henry proclaimed, wriggling out from Red's arms and darting across the room and down the hall to the little bathroom the station boasted. 

He knew that word, he'd heard it on the news one day and didn't recognize it so he'd looked it up in the Dictionary and asked his Mom what it meant when the Dictionary offered several meanings. Regina had calmly explained what it meant in the most simple terms and he'd left it off, because it wasn't a word he really ever needed to know. 

* * *

 The bathroom was little, hosting only two stalls, a urinal, a small row of sinks and a little tile shower with two heads that was shut off by a curtain. 

Henry had finished and even washed his hands but didn't want to leave. They were yelling now, he could hear them fighting and even Red joining in on occasion. 

He wanted his Mom. Both Moms, either Mom. He wanted to go home and crawl under his blankets to wake up and find this was all just a dream left over from the curse and that everyone was safe. 

The blue smoke in the corner was unexpected but not unfamiliar and Henry was torn between yelling and being grateful when it formed into Regina. 

“Mom.” Henry was embarrassed by the way his voice cracked but he still closed the distance between them as quick as possible and hugged Regina as if his life depended on it. 

She hugged him back just as tightly, making soothing noises and rubbing his back to calm him as he started crying, clinging to her with his face hidden against her neck like he were a small child again. “Shh, it's okay.” Regina murmured and he tried to believe her. 

It took several minutes to stop crying but she didn't move the entire time, just held him close talking softly to calm him. 

“They...they're saying Gramps did something really bad,” He pulled back enough to look at her but not enough to leave her arms. He was certain his face was a mess from crying and he felt like his nose might explode if he didn't blow it soon. 

Regina nodded, “I know.” she waved her hand in the air and produced a handkerchief she then handed to him. “Blow,” she instructed. 

He blew his nose, not bothering to even give a token protest for the magic use and wiped his eyes. “How do you know?” Henry asked, crumpling the handkerchief in his hand. 

Regina sighed and tucked her hair back where it had fallen into her eyes, “I know what's going on around town. Henry, your Grandfather didn't do it.” She told him gently, looking him in the eye. Fear he didn't realize he held vanished immediately and his chest didn't feel as tight. Regina hated Snow and Charming, or at very least severely  
disliked them, so she had no reason to lie for them. 

“Really?” he hated the way his voice quivered. 

“Really.” Regina smiled sadly. 

“You can tell Thomas that! He'll let Gramps out,” Henry said quickly. 

“He wouldn't believe me, Henry,” Regina told him, “No one would.” 

“You wouldn't lie for him though,” Henry tried, “Everyone knows that.” 

“That doesn't mean he'll believe me. I can't give a plausible alternative to what they 'know'.” 

“You...did...You couldn't,” Henry couldn't quite get the words out and he closed his eyes, hoping not to see or hear anything to contradict his thoughts. 

“Henry, I swear to you I had nothing to do with this,” Regina cupped his face with her hand, making him look at her. “I didn't know what had happened until after it was all over.” 

Henry swallowed and nodded, “Do you...do you know who...who hurt my Mom?” 

Regina sighed, “Yes.” 

“Then you could bring him here and--” 

“He's dead, Henry.” Regina interrupted him, “I couldn't bring him here if I wanted to. No, I didn't do it.” she said before he could say anything, “It was an accident.”

 “Do I know him?” 

“No. You never met him.” Regina sighed as a particularly loud yell came from the offices. “Henry, what do you want right now? Do you want me to go talk to them? Try to convince them? I will, if you want but--” 

“I want to see my Mom,” He blurted out. Everything else could wait, he just wanted to make sure she was safe. “They wouldn't let me. I haven't seen her since last night...Well, I guess night before last.” he frowned and looked at her pleadingly, “Can you take me?” 

Regina seemed to think about it for a moment then nodded, “If you don't mind using magic to do it and don't mind returning to them more than likely yelling more. But she's probably asleep right now.” Regina said, checking her watch. 

“I don't mind,” Henry said quickly, “and I just want to see she's okay. I don't...she doesn't have to wake up.” 

She held her hand out and he took it without thought. “Close your eyes and hold on tight.” she wrapped her arm around him, pulling her to him, “It's going to feel a little weird.”

 

* * *

  
“ _And you know bad girls are punished.”_

_The worlds swirled around her, echoing in her ears along with the sound of his laugh, the sight of his smug smile as her world fell to pieces._

_She could feel him on her, feel his hands touching her and tried to scream but it came out as nothing more than a hoarse whisper._

_Tried to fight, but felt like she were moving in slow motion while he went normally._

“ _-tell him where you are, what you're doing...who with?”_

“ _Stop.” the words came out as barely a whisper._

“ _Stop, David, please!” she sobbed out, trying to fight but her hands were bound and everything hurt._

“ _David!”_

“ _ **Emma!”**_

Emma's eyes shot open and she woke swinging. Someone caught her hands and she instinctively tried to fight back against them, “No, please! Dav-” 

“Emma, it's me!” 

She forced her eyes to focus on the face above her and slowly Belle came into view looking concerned. “Belle?” She whispered. 

“It's me, you're safe.” Belle let go of Emma's hands slowly, reaching up carefully to brush the hair away from Emma's face. “You're in the hospital, you're safe?” 

Emma felt her stomach roll in protest as the fight left her and swallowed hard,“'m gonna be sick.” 

Belle winced back and looked around, “Um.” 

“Here,” Emma couldn't focus but there was another woman in the room, another voice, that handed Belle a trash can that she moved in front of Emma just in time. 

She hadn't really been able to eat much all day, barely sipping at the soup Granny had sent and sticking mostly to water to calm her nerves so there wasn't much to bring back up which left her retching stomach acid mostly. 

Finally her stomach seemed to calm and she lay back, “S-sorry.” Emma said, her mouth radiating pain from where her stitches were. 

“It's fine, Emma,” Belle grabbed her cup from the table they left next to the bed and refilled it with water. She handed it to Emma, their fingers brushing briefly. 

“Thank you,” Emma sipped the water through the straw gratefully, feeling it cool the burning in her throat and stomach. 

Belle grabbed a tissue and reached out again, this time wiping Emma's eyes and cheeks gently, pulling it away damp with tears Emma wasn't aware she'd cried. “You're welcome.” 

Emma turned to see who else was there, thinking it might be her mother but found a familiar blonde instead. “Kathryn?” 

“It's Abigail, actually.” Abigail stepped closer to the bed, “Princess Abigail at that.” 

“Abigail, was just leaving,” Belle sent an angry glare in Abigail's direction, omitting the title. 

Abigail didn't acknowledge Belle, “How are you feeling, Emma?” 

“I...” Emma closed her eyes, figuring out how she actually felt. Her arms and wrists hurt like hell, her ribs felt like they were on fire where the skin there rubbed against her tshirt, her mouth felt like she'd burst the stitches open though she knew she hadn't and she felt a throbbing pain making itself known between her legs. “Everything hurts.” she said honestly, opening her eyes again. 

“I'll get one of the nurses to get you something,” Belle promised, “When I walk Abigail out.” 

Abigail ignored Belle once again, “Emma, do you know how the hierarchy works?” 

“The what?” Emma frowned, unsure why Abigail was there or why Belle was. “Where's my Mom?” It was the first time she'd said those words in Storybrooke. First time she'd acknowledged who Snow was to her and it was embarrassing how much they made her sound like a small child. 

“She had to go help your Father,” Belle sat down on the edge of the bed, taking one of Emma's hands in hers, “She'll be back as soon as she can; I said I'd stay with you.” 

Emma nodded slightly then turned back to Abigail, “Why are you here?” 

“Do you know the hierarchy of Royals? The obligations of them?” Abigail's voice was soft but strong and Emma had a hard time correlating Mrs. Nolan with the apparent 'Princess' Abigail. 

“No, what does that have to do with anything?” Emma asked. 

“Nothing.” Belle told Emma quickly. She turned to Abigail, a glower in place, “This isn't the time or place.” 

“It's exactly the time and place,” Abigail addressed Belle finally, shooting her a look that made Emma think of a Parent silencing their child. “There is a hierarchy amongst Royals, amongst the Kingdoms. James and Snow sit at the top due to their combined estate giving them so much more land, power, resources and a larger army than the rest of us along with the fact they are honest and true leaders.” Abigail traced the footboard of the bed as she spoke, face placid. “Next is my Father and I due to land size, wealth and age. Do you follow me?” 

“Yes, but why is it important?” 

“When James and Snow are unable to fulfill their duties, or compromised in any way in regards to the situation, they fall to me.” 

“Abigail this isn't the time.” Belle hissed, her fingers tightening a little around Emma's hand. 

“Since your Parents are...connected to this situation,” Abigail continued on as if Belle hadn't spoken, “the investigation into what happened falls to myself and Prince Thomas. Sean?” she added at Emma's look. 

“Wh-why?” Emma felt her heart speed up. 

“We need to talk to you about what happened. Thomas thought it best I came.” 

“I don't want to talk about it.” Emma tightened her own grip on Belle's hand, breathing a little faster. “There's nothing to talk about.” 

“We need to know who did it.” Abigail kept her voice low and calming but it didn't work. 

Emma felt like she was going to get sick again, “I don't know who did it.” she lied horribly, flinching almost at how badly it came out. They wouldn't believe her even if she told them. Her Father was a big hero, someone everyone looked up to they wouldn't think he could do this. 

Had he done it? The man...her Father – was he her father? – hadn't had a scar on his face like Dav—her Father. 

He  
would have stopped, he wouldn't have done anything. 

Her Father was a good man...wasn't he? 

It couldn't have been him. 

_'Cora sends her love.'_

He knew about Henry. 

“Are you sure?” Abigail pressed lightly, pulling Emma from her thoughts. 

“I don't know who it was.” Emma repeated the lie but she could feel the tears sliding down her cheeks betraying her. She accepted the tissue Belle handed her silently and dabbed at her face, averting her gaze from Abigail's. 

“You were calling a name in your sleep,” Abigail informed her and Emma felt her heart drop. 

“No I wasn't.” she almost pleaded the words, hoping desperately Abigail was lying but one look at Belle confirmed her fears. 

“He's in jail, Emma.” Abigail stepped closer, sitting on the edge of the bed like Belle but on the opposite side. “The name you were calling?”  
“I-I wasn't calling a name.” Emma felt tears falling again but didn't bother to wipe them away. She couldn't have been, she couldn't have betrayed herself in her sleep. 

If it had been him she couldn't let anyone know. Couldn't let Snow know. 

It had to have been her fault. If it were truly Dav—her Father, then she had to have done something to make him act that way, to make him hurt her.

 If it wasn't him... 

“He's in jail, Emma, you're safe now.” Abigail took Emma's hand, “Do you remember when you found me? In the alley behind Granny's. You brought me to the hospital, you stayed with me the entire time and you made sure I was okay. You checked up on me every day for weeks, even if it was just a phonecall.” Abigail stroked her thumb lightly over the back of Emma's hand, “You kept trying to find who'd taken me, who'd hurt me, even when you had other problems more pressing. Let me help you now, Emma.” Abigail asked gently, “You helped me then, let me help you. Please.” 

“I don't know,” Emma could feel the tears increasing and it was getting harder to breathe. “I-I just...I don't...I want my Mom.” the words make her feel about three years old but they're crushingly accurate. 

 She wanted Snow here, she wanted Snow to tell her it's all going to be okay.   
  
Wanted Snow to never ever know what happened, who was there.  
   
She drew her knees up to her chest, ignoring the pain it brought and wrapped her arms around them, hugging them close. 

“It's okay,” Belle told her, rubbing her back lightly “You don't have to say anything you don't want to.” 

“Emma,” Abigail brushed her hair with her fingers as she stood, “Just tell me one thing and I'll go, I promise.” Emma looked up at her, just barely peering over her knees. “The name you were yelling, is he the one who hurt you?” 

She nodded once, jerkily and hid her face against her legs. 

It was him and if it wasn't him it was a man who bore his face. 

'He's in jail'. 

Normally those in jail couldn't hurt anyone, but she was sure right now she could do more harm than he could even if he wasn't really her Father. 

Snow was going to hate her.  
“Abigail,” Belle's voice was more threatening than Emma had ever heard it before, “You need to leave.” 

“I'll be back later, Emma,” Abigail promised her, touching her hair lightly again in a gesture of comfort that didn't involve too much contact, something Emma was grateful for. “I'll take care of this, okay? He's in jail and he can't hurt you now, I'll make sure of it.” 

“I want my Mom,” Emma repeated quietly, eyes closed to block out the world. 

“I'm going to go get the nurse and get you something for the pain,” Belle told her, hand still on Emma's back, “I didn't bring my phone with me but I bet we could get one from someone so you could call your Mum, okay?” 

Emma nodded, not caring to look away. 

She listened to them leave, heard the door shut behind them with a click and couldn't hold back the sobs any longer.

 

* * *

  
“Thanks, Abigail,” Thomas didn't take his eyes off of Snow as he spoke on the phone, “I'll see you when you get back.” He ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket. 

His face ached where she'd hit him, his head was pounding from the arguing and the situation he was in. His heart hurt and he really wanted to go home, hug Ella and never let Alexandra out of his sight ever again. 

“Well?” Snow demanded and he could see Red staring at him in something like horror, denial already set in. She'd heard Abigail, every word with those senses of hers. 

“Emma woke screaming his name.” Thomas said, fire burning in his gut and he fought back the urge to be sick. 

“That means nothing,” Snow said quickly, “He's her Father, of course--” 

“And she confirmed to Abigail it was him.” Thomas finished, eyes moving from Snow to the cell where James stood rapidly losing colour. 

“No.” James croaked, sinking to the ground, his back resting against the cot in the cell and he brought one hand up, touching his left shoulder in a way Thomas couldn't place. “I didn't do it, I swear!” 

Snow shook her head as well, reaching back for Red's hand automatically, needing some comfort Thomas supposed. “He didn't do it, Thomas.” 

“Your child or your True Love,” Thomas repeated the words he'd spoken earlier, “Who do you believe?”

Snow went silent, allowing Red to pull her to stand next to her, Red's arm around her waist in support. 

“Happy?” Red met Thomas eyes and he closed his own at the rage, betrayal and sorrow he saw there. 

“No,” he answered honestly.

 


	6. Confusion

"Mom?"

Emma's head jerked up at the word and immediately spotted Regina and Henry standing in the corner of her room furthest from the door. "Henry?" her heart leapt both from happiness and fear. "How...Why?" 

He rushed to the bed, away from Regina but stopped at the side of it looking unsure, "I...you...are you okay?" Henry said finally, a scared look in his eyes. 

She realized he wanted to hug her but was afraid he'd hurt her so she gestured him closer, pulling him into a hug first. "I'm okay." She lied, cheek against his hair. Everything hurt, she wanted to fall asleep and stay that way for weeks but she couldn't tell him that. She had to be strong for him, had to protect him. 

He shifted and sat on the edge of the bed, his feet swinging off the side of it, but didn't loosen his grip any. "I was scared." Henry admitted. 

"Because I was hurt?" Her ribs ached where he was pressed against them and her arms hurt from how tightly she was holding him but it was worth it. She'd gone ten years without ever being able to hold him, to even see him and now that she had that ability she never wanted to let him go. 

It was hard to keep his worried voice now from bringing back memories of his voice on the walkie-talkie but she forced it away. 

"Yes," He hid his face against her neck but she could feel the tears. "They took Gramps and I was alone." 

She looked up, catching Regina's eyes and mouthed the word 'why'. Regina could have taken him and ran right now while they were scattered but instead she'd brought him here. She could have what she'd been wanting since the beginning, but she didn't take her chance. Why? 

Regina shook her head slightly and moved to stand by the bed as well. "I...Henry was upset and his caretakers distracted." Regina offered, "I'll take him back once we're done here." 

Emma ducked her head, pressing a kiss to the top of Henry's head. "Thank you." 

"I'm sorry I didn't protect you." Henry clung tightly to her. 

Emma swallowed against the lump in her throat, "My fault, kid, not yours." She him just as tightly, running her fingers over his hair as he cried, ignoring her own tears. Something was just calming about having him safe in her arms.

  
"Miss Swan, I think there's something you need to know," Regina spoke softly, casting glances to the door on occasion like she were watching for someone or waiting on an interruption. "They've arrested David, they're planning--" 

She couldn't help the squeak of fear that came out of her mouth at the name, couldn't hide the way her entire body stiffened for a moment and the quiver of her chin that started more tears and it was embarrassing.

"Charming," Regina corrected, "They've arrested him for hurting you." she tactfully avoided the words. "He's behind bars." 

Emma nodded, "Abigail said..." 

"Abigail took him from the apartment," Henry told her, not letting go but moving his head to rest on her shoulder so he could speak and be heard. "They tied him up with rope around his neck and left me with Frederick. I screamed for Red and she came to get me. She and Belle helped me and Red beat up Thomas."

_'She'll hear you no matter where you are.'_

"Yeah?" Emma swallowed again, wishing she'd screamed despite his words. Wishing she'd not believed his threats. Wished she hadn't gone to work against her parents requests. 

"She's trying to get Gramps out of jail. Grams slapped Thomas because he said Gramps hurt you." 

Snow didn't believe her.

Did she want Snow to believe her? 

"Emma," Regina tried again, "You're confused aren't you?" Regina somehow managed to look both annoyed and sympathetic at once.

Confused? Was that what she was...Everything was hard enough already but fear and all the meds they'd pumped into her to calm her down early were making things a bit more fuzzy. 

"I...He..." Emma's eyes darted down to Henry then back to Regina. Even if everyone else knew he couldn't. His Gramps was...well, his Gramps! His only male role model, his best buddy, his playmate...everything. 

"Emma," Regina looked torn, "It wasn't him." 

"It...what?" Doubt and confusion still swirled around in her mind, leaving her lost. 

"I have no reason to lie for him," Regina was obviously fighting against something to talk to her. "In fact I'd rather have liked to watch him get dragged down for a crime that would end with him being beheaded or lynched in the past but..." Regina paused again and rubbed her hand over her wrist nervously. 

"Henry?" Emma brushed his hair with his fingers again, "Can you refill my cup for me?" she asked, indicating the lidded cup Belle had left on the table, "Please?" 

Henry obviously knew he was being dismissed but stood anyway, taking the cup and heading into the bathroom. 

"Who?" Emma asked pointedly, hope filling her for the first time. Maybe he hadn't? Maybe it wasn't him.  
It looked just like him.

He spoke just like him.  


Regina glanced towards the bathroom. "James."  


"James? James is just another name for--"  


"James is the name he took, yes, but James was also a person before your Father." Regina implored her to listen closely. "James was a ruthless warrior who would do anything for money and had no morals at all. James hurt you. Not Charming."  


"His...his twin? How is that even possible." Emma gripped the blanket tight with her hands, trying to keep from crying or yelling.  


Not her Father, but it may as well have been.  


Identical twins, identical DNA, identical faces.  


"Magic," Regina said wryly, "and my Mother. I swear I didn't know," Regina said quickly before Emma could even suggest it. "Not until after."  


"Here, Mom," Henry happily put the cup back on the tray and hugged her again. "Thanks," Emma hugged him back. "Regina, can you take him back, please? There's enough going on without them having to search for him."  


"Of course," Regina nodded and held her hand out to Henry.  


"I love you," Henry told her, giving her one last hug and kissed her cheek.   


"I love you too."  


The words were barely out when the two disappeared into smoke, leaving her all alone.  


Regina wouldn't lie for Da-her Father. She'd admitted herself that she'd like to see him hurt.  


It could a trick. 

Maybe Regina just wanted her to let him get close again so he could hurt her more?

Even if...If it were James and not her Father then they could replace him.

Her father had replaced James without anyone noticing, what if they could replace David with James?

He didn't have a scar...

He knew about Henry.

He...was he there when Snow was on the walkie-talkies...

_'Emma, your Dad's getting dressed now; He'll find you, sweetheart. He'll be there soon, I swear.'_  
  
He had been home.   
  
Was he still him?  
  
"Emma?"  
  
Emma flinched without meaning to at the voice. "Yeah?" her throat was dry and she realized she was crying again.  
  
Belle frowned and sat down on the bed next to her, holding out a little plastic cup with two white pills in it, "The nurse thought you might prefer just me in here right now."  
  
Emma tossed the pills back into her mouth and grabbed her cup, drinking the cool water to swallow the pills. "Thank you."  
  
"Also," Belle held out a familiar looking phone. "Frederick, while annoying as a guard dog, did bring this with him."  
  
Due to a bout of annoyance at the lack of sophisticated technology Emma had forced an 'upgrade' on her parents and Red. They weren't the most advanced phones ever, but they took photos and texted.  
  
This one she recognized as her Father's immediately. She pressed the button turning it on and unlocked it without pause. Both he and Snow used the same password for their phones: 5-6-8-3, L-o-v-e.  
The background was a photo of her, Henry and Snow in a booth at the diner and she set it down quickly, not wanting to look at it.  
  
Wait, Frederick?  
  
"Frederick?"  
  
"Uh, Jim? I think." Belle offered, "Abigail's husband."  
  
"Why is he here?" Emma glanced at the door nervously. Henry mentioned Frederick.  
  
"He's guarding you," Belle growled in aggravation and Emma had to stop from remarking about a similarity to Red, "He's under the impression that if he doesn't stand guard something horrible will happen."  
  
"Abigail's gone?"  
  
"She's gone back to the station, yes." Belle answered, "She's probably there by now. You can call your Mum." Belle stated, picking up the phone from where Emma had set it on the blanket. "If you need her she'll come."  
  
Emma both desperately wanted her Mother to come and tell her everything would be already and for Snow to stay away and never learn the truth.  
  
The thought hit her suddenly and she sat completely up in the bed, away from the partially reclined back; Abigail was going to tell Thomas.   
  
Thomas was at the station with Snow.  
  
Snow was going to know for sure what Emma had said.  
  
Snow was going to hate her.  
  
Snow didn't believe her anyway.  
  
"She can't go." Emma said in horror, "Please, get her back. I lied, please, I lied. Don't let her go--"  
  
"Emma, it's okay," Belle tried to get Emma to lay back again, to  calm down, "Emma-"  
  
"Snow can't know! I said I wouldn't tell her...Snow can't know." Emma begged, hands shaking even when Belle held them in her own. "Please call her back here."  
  
"I can't," Belle said regretfully, "I don't know her number, I just know Red's and she left hers at home with mine."  
  
"Oh God," Emma sobbed, closing her eyes, "I lied, please, I lied."  
  
Belle pulled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around Emma's shoulders and holding her as she cried harder, "It's okay, Emma, it'll be alright."  
  
No, it wouldn't. It never could be.  
  
Snow wouldn't believe her and would hate her.  
  
Snow would believe her and hate her father.  
  
She wasn't sure which was a better option.  
  
"I lied." She repeated against Belle's shoulder. She felt Belle pick up the phone and could hear her flipping through it.  
  
She had lied, she just wasn't sure when.

* * *

Abigail strolled into the station expecting a war from what Belle had told her and what Frederick had heard from Thomas.  
  
She found Thomas, side of his face bright red, sitting on the desk, sword out and resting against his shin with a look she couldn't quite place.  
  
Red reclined against the wall next to the cell, arms crossed over her chest and legs crossed at the ankle the perfect picture of relaxation if you didn't know the deadly warrior inside.  
  
Snow sat on the floor by the cell, her hand inside holding tight to James', both of whom looked completely devastated.  
  
"Thomas," Abigail said in greeting and she was almost positive Red growled at her.  
  
James looked up at her from his seat on the cell floor, a dark look on his face she'd never seen before. "I want a divorce," His voice was deep full of emotion and in any other circumstance his words might have been funny. Snow's look however she knew well and prepared herself for a fight.  
  
"You," Snow hissed, standing and letting go of James' hand, "How dare you!"  
  
"I'm doing my job, Snow, that is all." Abigail kept her voice free of emotion. The idea that James could do this was appalling and she'd been hoping Emma would clear him.  
Doubtful she would, but still hoping.  
  
James wasn't just a friend or an ally, at one point in time he'd been her fiancé and for a while in this world her husband. He'd shared her life, her bed, and the thought that he was capable of this, that no one had seen it was horrifying.  
  
"You and Whale, how can we trust your words?" Snow had one hand wrapped around one of the cell bars and James stood behind her, leaning against the bars as well. "Whale has a well known issue with my husband and you--"  
  
"Know better than to let petty moments get in the way of justice." Abigail interrupted her. "Snow, we have video of him entering, we have DNA proving it was him, we have Red stating that she smelled no one but James and Emma in the station and now we have confirmation from your daughter herself." Abigail listed, "How can that all be a conspiracy?"  
  
"Emma's drugged, confused," Snow sounded like the words hurt, "You questioned her in the middle of the night, she...she probably told you what you wanted to hear."  
  
"You should probably head to the hospital," Abigail told her shortly, a headache forming despite the pills she'd taken to fight it back.   
  
"Why? So you can hurt my husband more?"  
  
"No, because when I left your daughter was crying for you." Abigail wasn't proud of the way Snow nearly flinched at the words, a look of heartbreak crossing her face, but it silenced her for a moment. "We're missing someone." Abigail looked around, "Frederick said you'd brought Henry."  
  
"He's hiding in the bathroom." Red pushed herself off the wall, "Seems he doesn't like people hurting his Gramps."   
  
Abigail checked her watch. A quarter till five. How could the entire world go to hell in less than twenty-four hours?  
  
"Go," James said so quietly that Abigail almost didn't hear him.  
  
"What?" Snow turned back to the cell. "Charming?"  
  
"Emma needs you," James attempted a smile, "Red'll protect me, right?"  
  
Red nodded once and smiled at him, "Haven't I always protected your butt?"  
  
A familiar ringtone started from Abigail’s pocket and she pulled out her phone, checking the ID anyway. James' phone?  
  
Right, Frederick gave it to Belle.  
  
It was a text though, not a call.  
  
"Who's that?" Red asked suspiciously.  
  
"Text from James' phone," she told her honestly, opening the message.  
  
"Who has my phone?" James demanded in annoyance. "Who knows the lock for my..." he trailed off and gripped the bars tighter.  
  
"Frederick gave it to Belle. Emma was crying for Snow, Belle wanted to get her a way to call." Abigail brushed him off, reading the text to herself and feeling her heart clench in sorrow and sympathy along with anger towards the man in the cell.  
  
"What does it say?" Snow sounded both wary and curious.  
  
"'Emma says she lied,'" Abigail read out loud, her words emotionless, "'And to please don't tell Snow.'"  
  
If anything the heartbreak on Snow's face magnified.  
  
"Go," James repeated, "I'm safe enough here."  
  
Snow looked torn but looked back at him, "I'll be back as soon as I can." She leaned up, kissing him lightly before pulling away and Abigail had to fight down nausea again. How could she kiss him after what he'd done and to who?  
  
"Stay with Emma," he told her, "She needs you more."  
  
Snow hadn't been gone more than five minutes if that when Henry came back out of the bathroom, shoes now missing and looking a little calmer.  
  
"Hey, Kid, you--" Red trailed off, sneezing hard and making a face. "Ugh, you smell like Regina...Regina was here?" She growled again and Abigail fought the urge to take a step back at the eyes that flashed gold.   
  
Thomas stood, instantly on alert, "Where is she?"  
  
"Gone," Henry let Red pull him close, checking him for injuries, "She just wanted to see if I was okay because she heard what happened." He looked like he was mostly asleep and Red guided him to lay down on the couch next to the cells. Gone from fierce warrior in waiting to nanny in less than thirty seconds, the change was almost amusing. All the tightened muscles and scowls replaced by soft hands and a smile for Henry. Abigail was almost certain that Red was supposed to be the one watching Emma when her parents couldn't be with her, had she grown up as planned; that Red still considered herself an Aunt to both Henry and Emma despite the curse and tried to take care of them as such.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Red looked around for a blanket of some sort and James tossed her the one from the cell.  
  
"Mhmm," Henry rubbed his face on his arm, sprawling out on his stomach as Red tucked the blanket in around him, "Said Gramps didn't do it." He mumbled, snuggling into the warmth.  
  
Abigail looked at him in surprise, "What? Why wouldn't she tell us then?"  
  
"Won't 'lieve her."  
  
Abigail had to give it to the child, he certainly had his Grandfather's genetics and was out like a light by time he finished his sentence.  
  
"There, you see? Why would Regina lie **for** me?" James questioned them.  
  
"As a trick, a trap or a way to hurt Emma more." Thomas replied, clearly more on guard now that he knew Regina had been inside.  
  
"If no one believes her she become the girl who cried wolf," Abigail remarked softly, not looking at either Red or James. 

* * *

Her mind was fuzzy, pain pills always made her mind just a little more fuzzy than normal, took away all the sharp corners of the world but her mind had already been out of focus before the pills. She hated it, she couldn't concentrate properly like she wanted to, it was like water slipping through her fingers as she tried to rearrange the timeline of the morning in her head.

She'd woken up, dressed – they were still asleep – and gone to the station. He'd arrived right behind her but her Father had been asleep...hadn't he?

They were on the walkie-talkies, weren't they? Henry was talking but then it was Snow?

The voices were different.

He'd wanted to answer the walkie-talkie but...if it wasn't her Father how did he know the walkie-talkies?

How would he have known how the threat would hurt her?

He hadn't known her scar...did her Father know she had a scar from Henry?

He hadn't had a scar...did he? Maybe she'd missed it but...

There was a loud crash and a yelp from outside her door and Emma sat straight up from her reclined position the bed, even Belle who'd been sitting on the chair next to her bed was up in a defensive position. The door opened just a minute later and Snow walked in looking truly pissed and Emma felt her heart speed up.  
She slammed the door shut and locked it behind her. She was holding a sword still sheathed in her right hand, a man's belt attached to it. She could see the sheath had blood on it.  
  
“What's with the sword?” Belle questioned.  
  
Snow held it up and looked both angry and a little amused, “I told Frederick to leave before I made him leave. It's mine now, he's not getting it back.” She sat the sword down on the table and smiled down at Emma, something unreadable in her eyes, “I'm sorry you woke up while I was gone. I thought I'd be back before then.  
  
Emma forced herself to swallow fear but found herself unable to meet Snow's eyes, “It's okay.”  
  
Snow sat down on the edge of the bed and took one of Emma's hands in hers, “How are you feeling?”  
  
“I...I don't like the pills, they make my head weird.” Emma closed her eyes. Maybe Snow hadn't been told? Belle had found Abigail's number on her Father's phone and promised Emma she'd sent a message to Abigail.  
  
Maybe Abigail had gotten it in time and didn't tell them, didn't tell her.  
  
“You probably need to eat something,” Snow checked her watch and winced, “Okay, definitely need to eat something.”  
  
“I'm not hungry.” Emma replied, resisting the desperate want to hug her Mother until she knew what Snow knew. “Belle said...you were..were with Charming.” She tried but found herself unable to say his true name.  
  
“Yes, I was,” Snow nodded, “Thomas arrested him and I needed to see why; to try and help him.”

“Oh.” Emma's heart sank and she pulled her hand away from Snows. She knew. She knew why Thomas had arrested him for sure which meant...Snow knew and didn't believe her.  
  
“I met Abigail as I was leaving,” Snow's voice was a little shaky and she paused for a breath, “She told me what you said.”  
  
“I lied,” Emma's heart started beating rapidly. Belle had been too late. She'd said she wouldn't tell Snow.  
  
“I lied, I didn't...I lied,” Emma repeated even as Snow pulled her into a tight hug, one hand on the back of her neck and one rubbing her back in comfort. “Please, I lied.” She couldn't stop the tears that started once again and found herself clinging to her Mother wishing she hadn't said anything, both hoping Snow believed her and hoping Snow didn't believe her.

Snow had been with her Father for years but had only known Emma for less than one year. Shouldn't she believe him before she believed Emma?   
“Emma,” Snow pulled back so Emma could see her and moved one hand to cup the uninjured side of Emma's face. She had tears in her eyes as well and she looked tormented as she sought the right words. “Emma,” she tried again, “I want you to tell me the truth. I promise I'll believe you, whatever you say, but I need to hear the truth from you; did...was it Charming who hurt you?”Snow looked like she might cry, but she also looked determined and Emma couldn't find a lie in her words.  
  
Emma licked her lips, suddenly her mouth was dry and her palms damp, “I don't know.” she replied honestly. 


	7. Stories

Charming sat with his back against the cell bars, legs stretched out in front of him on the floor. Red sat in a near identical position with her back to his, touching through the cell bars, her right hand holding tight to his let, their fingers intertwined. 

His best friend beyond Snow, Snow's best friend as well, his designated protector for now. 

His sister in everything but blood, though the Gods knew enough of that had been spilled while protecting each other. 

He stared at the wall opposite him, tracing the cracks in the wall with his eyes. 

Snow had spent days in this cell as Mary Margaret, locked up all alone with no one to believe her beyond Emma. Even he'd thought her responsible. 

He knew that if Snow talked to Emma and Emma told her that he'd done it Snow would believe her, despite what she felt in her heart. 

He couldn't really blame her either, there was so much against him, more than they'd had on Mary Margaret even. 

He hadn't done it. The thought alone made him feel sick and the idea his friends thought he could have... 

But he didn't have any explanations as to why. Why the tests said him, why his face was on their camera, why Emma told them it was him. 

Red squeezed his hand, "Calm thoughts, Charming." 

Of course she could hear his heart beat picking up. "Sorry." he squeezed her hand in return, resting his head back against hers. "Just..." 

"I know." 

Snow would take Emma's side, no matter what she felt, because Emma was their daughter and her friend but Red would stick by his side unless he admitted it was him. At least he'd have Red and Henry believing him. 

"It smelled the same then too, you know." Red's words were barely more than a whisper. 

"What did?" Charming asked, eyes closing as he tried not to think. 

"When everyone thought Archie died, that Regina had killed him? All I could smell was Regina. Didn't smell Cora at all." Red told him, "Didn't smell anyone else." 

"You think someone took my face?" 

"It's my preferred thought, yes." 

The idea was horribly unsettling, that someone could take his image, impersonate him and hurt someone he loved so badly. 

But that they'd do this...that someone could have. 

"There's only three magic users in this town and despite her...darkness I doubt that Regina would have had a hand in this because it hurts Henry as well." Charming sighed, rubbing his eyes with his freehand. 

"Gold would be more likely to go after me." Red continued his thoughts. "Which leaves Cora." 

"I don't even know any more." he squeezed her hand again and felt her thumb caressing the back of his hand in comfort, "I just want it all to end, one way or another." 

"I'm not letting anything happen to you." Red promised fiercely. 

"You'd step in the way of Snow's arrow?" he laughed bitterly. "Though I suppose if it must be done I'd rather it be her." 

"No one's going to kill you, no one's hurting you and Snow wouldn't ever." Red turned to look at him and he found himself turning as well. "She believes in you." 

"If Emma says it's me then Snow will believe her." Charming spoke without anger or sorrow, just fact. "Snow would do what she had to do to protect our daughter." 

"And I'll protect my brother." Red didn't flinch, didn't look away, "We'll see who comes out on top, the Queen or a Child of the Moon." 

"I think I've seen those training exercises before." Charming relaxed back again, back against the cell bars trying to ignore the fact Abigail and Thomas were still watching them. 

Frederick had returned earlier sporting a nasty bruise to his face and a cut on the top of his head sans belt and sword. They'd talked in the office away from prying ears but Red had snickered and related the entire story to him as they spoke. Apparently Frederick had been ordered by Snow to move and had failed to do so, leaving him to face her wrath. 

She'd also kept his sword, cheeky woman. 

Henry was still peacefully asleep on the couch, snuggled under the blanket and dead to the world. 

"Then you know who won over half the time." Red sounded smug for a moment, "In close quarters I will be victorious." 

'Will', not 'would'. 

"I don't want you fighting, not with your best friend." 

"I don't want you dead." 

They went back to silence, backs and heads just barely touching through the bars, her hand still tight in his. 

 

* * *

 

"You don't know?" Snow repeated her daughters words cautiously hope and dread both fighting for control inside her. 

Emma shook her head, "It's fuzzy and doesn't make sense." 

"That might be some of the drugs they gave you," Snow brushed Emma's hair behind her ear and took her hands in her own. "Why don't you tell me, just talk your morning through and try to make it make sense again?" she suggested. 

She hoped to every deity she could name that everyone was wrong, that her husband hadn't done this, but if Emma said it was so...She couldn't just dismiss her like that, Emma had no reason to lie. 

But how could she have loved a man, married him and shared his bed without knowing he was capable of something like this? 

She knew his heart, knew his soul yet...She couldn't help that little seed of doubt that was started. 

"I don't want to talk about it." Emma sounded like a scared child and she gripped Snow's hands a little tighter as she pulled her knees up to her chest again protectively. 

"You don't have to talk about that bit," Belle's voice nearly startled Snow as the younger Princess crossed to the other side of the bed, sitting down by where Emma's legs had been. 

She caught Snow's eyes for a moment and Snow could see sympathy and sorrow in them. 

"Talk about...What was the very first thing you did?" Belle moved her hand and rested it lightly on one of Emma's feet where they were under the covers in a show of comfort of any kind, smiling when Emma didn't move her away. 

"Shut off the alarm and tried not to fall back asleep." 

"Because you always fall back asleep," Snow smiled a little trying to encourage Emma, "And Henry and I have to make you get up with coffee." 

Emma nodded, "Got dressed, but it was dark. Didn't want to wake up Henry so I didn't turn the lights on, just the nightlight in the hall. He was sleeping still but he'd kicked his covers off. Pulled them over him again and went downstairs." Emma listed, obviously trying hard to try and keep everything straight, her voice holding a hint of worry. 

"You came downstairs, okay. Where was I?" Snow rubbed Emma's hand with hers, both keeping her grounded and in a gesture of comfort. 

Emma closed her eyes, concentrating, "In bed, sleeping." 

"Was...was Charming with me?" the words were hard but she got them out. 

"Yes," Emma nodded once sharply, "sleeping...I thought he was sleeping still, I--" 

"What did you do then, after you saw Snow was sleeping?" Belle distracted her from that path, keeping her on target. Snow looked at her gratefully. She wasn't sure if she could do this alone, conflicted as she was. 

"Went outside. Didn't want to take the car because it would make noise so I just walked to the station. I had to do work, had to catch up. They didn't want me alone but I had to catch up." Emma said guiltily, staring at her knees. 

"Emma, I'm not mad." Snow hated the idea her daughter might think she were in trouble for that. If...if nothing had happened she might have lectured but now...she couldn't find it in her heart to do so. "You're not in trouble." 

Emma glanced up at her and Snow felt her stomach clench at the guilt she saw in them. "'m sorry." 

Snow cupped Emma's face with her left hand, making her daughter look at her again, "You're not in trouble, you don't need to apologise," She stressed, leaning forward and pressing a light kiss to Emma's forehead. 

Emma sighed and leaned against her so Snow stayed sat forward, moving her right hand to Emma's shoulder and rubbing it lightly as her left hand stayed clutching Emma's left hand. "So you walked to the station," Snow said softly, trying to keep on topic though she was conflicted on if she wanted to hear it or not. 

She wanted to be sure it wasn't her husband, but Emma had said it was. 

She didn't want to hear what had happened to her daughter, seeing the after effects was enough. 

"What did you do immediately?" she continued. 

"What I always do." 

"What do you always do?" Belle questioned, "I don't know your routine." she was keeping Emma calm and a little unattached making Snow want to hug her. 

"Turn on all the lights, unlock my office," Emma listed mechanically, "I turn on the heat and the computers then...then, I.." Emma frowned, "I didn't..." 

"What did you do differently this morning?" 

"Kept my coat on because it was cold. I logged on the computer then I took my jacket off." Emma's breathing hitched and Snow felt her grip tighten on her hand. 

"Emma?" Snow kept her voice soft, "What happened next?" 

"Scared," she mumbled, pulling her right arm up as if to protect her head and curling her knees a little tighter to her chest. 

"Something scared you?" Belle inquired. Emma nodded slightly in answer. "What scared you?" 

"Thought he was in bed." Emma closed her eyes tightly and her grip tightened again, "But he was watching me." 

Snow felt her stomach filling with ice and she brought her hand back down to cover Emma's, holding it between both of hers, "Who..." she took a breath to keep her voice from shaking, 

"Who was watching you?" 

"David." the name was barely a whisper and she could feel Emma shivering. The ice spread through her veins and Snow closed her eyes tightly, trying to fight back tears. 

David...Charming. It wasn't possible, it couldn't be possible. Not her husband, not her love. Emma had no reason to lie. 

Maybe...there had to be a mistake. 

The words 'are you sure' were on the tip of her tongue but Belle spoke first. 

"David was watching you?" 

Emma nodded, "From the door. Didn't hear...didn't know he was there. I didn't know." She was looking away, studying the blanket over her knees intently, refusing to meet Snow's eyes. 

"What happened next?" Belle asked, Snow both praised and cursed her, she was keeping Emma talking, trying to sort out details. 

But what if those details...No, she couldn't think that. 

"He...I..I don't want to be there," Emma ducked her head till her forehead pressed against her knees, "I don't want to be there." 

"It's okay," the words were barely audible but Snow managed them. She rubbed Emma's back lightly with her hand, "You don't have to if you don't want to." 

"Not that, no," Belle said, "What...besides him what's the next thing you remember?" Emma was silent for a while, long enough that she was almost certain that her daughter had fallen asleep. 

"Henry." 

"Henry?" how could she remember Henry? She'd been at the station and he'd been at home. She hadn't seen him at all in the last day. 

Snow felt bad about that, they'd left him to Granny during the day but then they couldn't bring him to see Emma. She'd been sedated and they didn't think it'd be a good idea, not at the time. He didn't need to see her like that. "What about Henry?" 

"He was calling for me but I couldn't answer." Emma said and despite not being able to see her face Snow knew she was crying. "Had the walkie-talkie on the desk. I didn't want him to wake up alone in the room and think I'd left him." 

Oh Gods no..."You could hear Henry on the walkie talkies." the statement nearly broke her heart, the thought that Emma had to listen to Henry while... 

She felt nauseous. 

"He threatened to answer him, say what I was doing and who with." Emma was shaking under Snow's palm, either from tears or fear. 

"David did?" Belle's voice was gentle but piercing to Snow. 

"Yes." 

It didn't damn him or save him, Henry had been on the walkie-talkies while she was in the shower so she couldn't tell either way. He'd brought her his once she was out and dressed and told her Emma wasn't answering. 

Charming had been sitting in his pyjama’s on the couch looking sleepy because he'd just woken up and had to take the trash out so he wouldn't miss pick-up. 

Would anyone else know how to work the walkie-talkies though? 

"Did he? Answer or talk to the walkie-talkies?" Belle knew the answer, they both did but she needed to keep her talking. 

"No. Said I'd behave and he...he...he ignored it till..." Emma was shivering again and Snow resumed rubbing her back in comfort and to help warm her a little. 

"Until what, Emma?" Snow questioned softly. 

"You." 

"Me? What about me?" Snow rubbed her thumb over the back of Emma's hand trying to get her attention on her and not focused on her memories; trying to keep her from slipping into a panic attack. 

"You were mad at me," Emma whispered in confusion and guilt. "Told me to answer." 

On the walkie-talkies. 

He'd been there when she was on the walkie-talkies? But... 

"I wasn't mad, I was just scared." Snow lied. She'd been mad Emma snuck out early, mad she'd not listened to their request, mad she'd upset Henry. "I asked you to answer because I was scared." 

"Told me to yell for Red." Emma said slowly, sorting out memories. "Asked if I was going to scream." 

"He did?" Belle clarified. 

"Yeah." Emma nodded. 

"David was with you when she was talking to you?" Belle's eyes met Snow's, "When did he leave, before or after your Mum stopped talking." 

"After." Emma said after a few seconds of quiet. "You said he was getting dressed to find me but he was...he was there...he..." 

"Emma," Snow felt hopeful again, a portion of the dread melting away, "Emma, baby, look at me, please?" Emma turned her head to look at Snow but left it resting on her knees.  "Emma, the entire time I was talking to you I could see Charming. Henry was sitting on the couch next to him. He was with me." she stressed, squeezing Emma's hand again. 

Emma's eyes searched her face, obviously searching for a lie, "Was?" 

"Yes, he was with me, I swear." 

"Emma, there's something you told me this morning," Belle interrupted their moment, "You said it a few times before everyone arrived, you said it to Red too. You told me 'He's not him'. What did you mean?" 

Emma shut her eyes, frowning in concentration and Snow moved her hand from Emma's back brushing her fingers over her face and then her hair instead. A few strands had come loose of her braid and were sticking up oddly now. "Didn't...Didn't have it." Emma sounded like the words were difficult either to summon to mind or say. 

"What didn't he have?" 

"His scar." Emma's eyes opened, finally meeting Snow's, "Where you hit him." 

Any doubt, fear or anger she'd had disappeared immediately. 

He'd had that scar as long as she'd known him. If he didn't have it then it wasn't him. 

Someone had taken his image, but why? 

“It couldn't have been him,” Snow murmured. She felt Emma freeze under her hand and she noticed Emma closing off again, “Emma, I'm not saying I don't believe you.” She spoke quickly, desperate to keep her from believing She would do that, “I'm saying that Charming has had that scar since the day I met him and there's no way he could hide it. Whoever did this...I think it's like when we thought Archie was dead. I think someone took his image but didn't get it right." 

Emma gave a half nod, "Regina said it wasn't him." 

"When did you speak to Regina?" Snow was instantly on alert, anger filling again and worry. 

"She brought Henry because he was scared. Just wanted a hug then she took him back but she said it wasn't Charming." 

"Did...Did she say who it was?" Snow asked cautiously, not sure if she should believe anything that Regina said. 

Her step-mother couldn't have had anything to do with this, not considering how much it hurt Henry as well. 

"Said it was James, not Charming." Emma closed her eyes, tears falling now. "They replaced him once, they could again. He's not him." 

The idea that magic could do that, bring forth a man long dead just for something like this...Snow felt she might be sick, bile rising in her throat. They had replaced him before. 

But... Had Charming had his scar when she saw him earlier? He'd always had it so would she notice right away? 

"They replaced him?" Belle asked, "When?" 

"Long story," Snow told her shortly, mind racing. She tried to put aside all thoughts on the twin connection and what it meant but she couldn't. 

A thought finally hit her and she looked to Belle, "Did you see the photo they had?" 

"No, Red did though." 

"She doesn't have her phone and we have Charming's..." 

 

* * *

 

They were both so tense that the phone ringing made both of them jump in fear. 

"If there's a crime somewhere I'm making Thomas deal with it." Red said, letting go of Charming's hand and standing to answer it before Abigail, Thomas or Frederick could. 

Charming stood and stretched, watching her moving and watching the group in the main office coming out to see. 

"Sheriff's office---Snow? What's wrong? The photo?" Red tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder to hold it and grabbed the file, opening it up and digging through for the photo that they'd printed out. "Yeah, I've got it. What about it?" 

He watched her eyes widen, her mouth parting into an O of surprise and felt his heart speed up in fear. What could they have found now. 

_'Please don't let them turn Red against me too.'_

"No...No, he doesn't. It's not there." Red traced the photo and turned to Charming looking shocked. "No... Hold on." She grabbed the base of the phone and the photo, bringing both with her closer to his cell. 

"He's not getting phone calls," Abigail told her warningly, moving closer to take the phone. 

Red batted her hand away in annoyance and gestured Charming to the bars, "Turn your head to the left." she ordered. 

He did so without thought; if she had ill intent he wouldn't be able to stop it anyway. 

Instead of pain he felt a light touch on his jaw and her thumb rub over the scar that Snow had given him. "Red?" Charming asked quietly. 

"He's him, I'm sure...I'll tell them." Red agreed, "I've got all this fine...Yeah, he did mention Regina. She's on Charming's side..." Red trailed off and looked towards Abigail. He couldn't see her face but he did see the way Thomas shifted stances and grabbed his sword in warning. "I'll call you back. Give them my love." She placed the phone back in it's cradle and set it on the floor. "You're going to let him out." Red said with what sounded like smugness, but Charming could hear relief in it too. 

"Not happening." Thomas warned her, "I've told you. He--" 

"Didn't do anything and we can prove it." Red sounded triumphant now and held the photo out to Abigail, "With your own 'proof'." 

"It's the same man." Abigail told her with a sigh, "Nothing's changed." 

"Oh? You didn't do anything to that photo? Nothing at all." 

"It's printed off as it was on the screen. What are you implying?" 

"Nothing, making sure you can't use that against me." Red tapped the photo then pointed to Charming. "Scar," she said, touching the scar on his chin again, "No scar." she moved her hand to tap the photo. 

"Let him out before I make you do it." Red warned, voice almost sweet.


	8. Out

The moment the cell was opened and Charming free to move he pulled back his arm and punched Thomas as hard as he could, sending the younger man sprawling onto the floor for the second time that day. 

"Get. Out." Charming commanded, glaring down at his one time friend.  
Thomas covered his face with his hand, trying to stem the bleeding from his nose, "I can't do that."  
"We're not going anywhere till this is sorted." Frederick agreed. He moved to grab his sword automatically only to come back empty.

"I'm deputy; I'm in charge when it comes to the hierarchy." Charming wiped his hand on his pajama pants, 

"That means you do as I say now get the hell out of my station." 

"We can't do that, not while whoever hurt Emma is still out there." Abigail told him, "You're conflicted -- "  
  
"MY daughter was raped by some bastard that used MY face to do it," he all but roared, "That makes it MY job to sort it out. Get OUT!" He grabbed Thomas, hauling him to his feet and giving him a shove towards the doors.  
  
Thomas had been his best friend beyond Red and Snow, his closest male friend. He'd risked his life to save Thomas' wife and daughter. They'd spent hours setting things up for their Kingdoms, hosted the other in their homes and yet...Thomas had believed he could do this.  
  
"James--"  
  
"GET. OUT!" he bellowed, pointing towards the doors.  
  
Red rolled her shoulders, popping her back and stepped up beside him, "You heard the King."  
  
Red, his friend, his sister, always at his side through thick and thin.  
  
"I promised Emma I'd help her as she helped me." Abigail didn't back down, didn't cower before his rage like any sane person would do. She tilted her head defiantly, looking him in the eyes. "She did everything she could to help me even when she had more important things to do. I refuse to back down or leave because you think I should. You need someone with a clear head that doesn't have a stake in this beyond being a decent human."  
  
Charming growled low, "Abigail--"  
  
"James, let me help." Abigail spoke softly but insistently, “You need help.”  
  
"Let's get you home first," Red told him quietly, resting her hand on his forearm, "Get Henry tucked into bed properly and get you into clothes that aren't pajamas. Then we'll worry."  
  
Charming sighed but nodded, turning his gaze to his grandson, still sleeping like he was cursed. "Yes. Fine, meet us at my apartment," he told Abigail, "But alone. Those two traitors aren't allowed to come."  
  
He walked to the couch where Henry lay and carefully tucked the blanket around him, lifting him in his arms so he was cradled against his chest. "Vehicle?"  
  
"Cruiser or walking." Red shrugged.  
  
"We could give you a ride." Frederick suggested calmly.  
  
"Fuck off." Charming and Red said at the same time. Charming passed him, walking as authoritatively as one could when clad only in pyjamas, socks and carrying a snoring ten year old.  
Red followed behind, still in shorts that were too short and half tied shoes.  
  
"Walking then?" She asked, keeping pace with him once they were outside in the cool morning air.  
  
"Yes. I don't want to take the cruiser and my truck is at home. Snow's car as well."   
  
Henry shivered a little and Charming stopped so Red could adjust the blanket tighter around him.  
  
"Want me to carry him?" Red offered once they started moving again. To her credit she didn't complain about the cold though she had to be feeling it worse than him.  
  
"No, I've got him." Charming changed his grip, holding Henry a little more protectively. He hadn't kept Emma safe, he hadn't always kept Snow from harm and the Gods knew he'd failed Red a time or two but he wouldn't let Henry get hurt. Not his Grandson, not the little boy that nearly idolized him.   
  
His one chance to prove he wasn't as much of a failure as he felt some days.  
  
"Okay." Red nodded, not pressing the issue, and walked along side him.

* * *

Charming didn't take Henry up to his room, instead tucking him into the bed he shared with Snow, keeping him in sight. The sun was coming up through the window so he pulled the curtains shut tight to help Henry sleep.  
  
Henry to his credit didn't wake, just rolled over, hugging Charming's pillow tight and continued snoring.  
  
"I'll put some coffee on." Red offered, already heading towards the kitchen.  
  
"Thanks." He wanted a shower, wanted desperately the ability to turn back time, wanted his wife. Instead he opened his dresser drawers, withdrawing a pair of jeans and grabbed a shirt from the closet, heading into the bathroom to change.  
  
He stared into the mirror, unable to stop himself as he changed. His eyes were dark, obviously lacking sleep and his skin paler than normal. He didn't bother to shave, didn't see a need to when there were more important things going on.  
  
Charming reached his hand up once he'd taken his shirt off and covered the scar on his shoulder with his right hand.  
  
The scar ran several inches in a diagonal where he'd been sliced by a blade that had barely missed Emma. Proof of the first time he failed her. His fingers shifted, touching the smaller scar, pale from age that wasn't too far above it, the mark Snow's arrow had left on him minutes before their first kiss.  
  
He changed clothes, not wanting to look at his failure any longer and left the bathroom feeling a little more human.  
  
"I raided your drawers." Red told him, gesturing to the jeans she'd found to wear that were held up by a belt and rolled up twice at the leg, "Snow's a bit short for me." She'd borrowed one of Snow's shirts though, just a simple white blouse. "Sit down, I'll get you some breakfast."  
  
"I'm not hungry." He wasn't, at all. He felt empty, but that wasn't from hunger. Who would do something like this? Was it to hurt him or to hurt Emma?  
  
He'd lost two people he'd counted as allies tonight, nearly lost his wife and probably lost his daughter. He sat down at the counter, hands resting on the cold tile.  
  
"You don't feel hungry," Red corrected, already digging into the fridge for breakfast esentials, "But you still need to eat. Keep your strength up so we can figure this out. Right, Charming?" she pressed with that little smile that told him she was going to make him eat either way.  
  
"I...yeah," He nodded once sharply. He wanted his wife, wanted to talk to her but she was with Emma and more than likely his call wouldn't be welcome right now.  
  
"Hey," Red covered his hand with hers, "Go call your wife, you'll feel better."  
  
"She's with Emma, she probably doesn't want to talk to me anyway." Snow...Gods, who had Snow believed in the end? He wasn't sure he wanted to know.  
  
Wasn't sure he could bear knowing she didn't believe him.  
  
Wasn't sure he could stand to know she hadn't believed Emma.  
  
"I'm more than certain she'd love to hear from you, to know you're safe." Red squeezed his hand, "Go call her."  
  
He grabbed the portable phone and headed upstairs for privacy, to calm himself.  
  
Charming sat down on Emma's bed, fighting indecision, fighting himself and dialled Snow's number.   
  
Emma had made her bed before she left, something she rarely did without prompting.  
  
Her baby blanket was just peeking out from under the pillows and he pulled it out without thinking, spreading it across the bed and his lap. He should have Red take it to her. It'd probably help her.  
 _  
'Charming?'_ Snow sounded both hopeful and worried.  
  
"Yeah," His heart felt a little lighter at her voice, "It's me."  
 _  
'Thank the Gods, you're home. Are you safe? Henry? Red?'_   
  
"We're here, Henry, Red and I. They're not too happy Red made them let me out and Abigail's refusing to back down and hand over all the investigation to me but...Yeah, I'm home." He played with the edge of the baby blanket absently. "How's Emma?"  
  
There was talking in the background, quiet enough he couldn't hear it before Snow responded, _'Better. Thankful you're home and safe. She...she said to tell you she's sorry she lied.'_  
  
"Tell her it's fine," Charming answered, a hot lump in his throat now making it a little harder to breathe. "We were...we were all confused." He didn't blame her, not even a little. He'd suffer worse if it kept her safe.  
 _  
'I know, I'll tell her. Take care of yourself, don't...don't let them win, okay?'_  
  
"I won't. I've got Red here to keep me company for a bit. I'll send her or Abigail with some breakfast, Emma's blanket and a change of clothes. Belle probably wants to head home by now." he tried to distract himself.  
 _  
'Belle's refusing to go anywhere until someone else is here or Red drags her home. I don't see either of those happening any time soon.'_ Snow sounded a little amused. _'I love you.'_  
  
She didn't sound like she was lying, he hoped it was true. "I love you too." he replied, feeling a little lighter, "Give Emma a hug for me? Since I can't."  
 _  
'I will.'_  

* * *

He composed himself and made it backdown stairs as Red was finishing up cooking and making plates. "Would you mind making some for Emma, Snow and Belle?"  
  
"Already done." Red smiled at him, gesturing to three tupperware containers set out she'd been filling. "Hospital food sucks, right?"  
  
"Something like that." He bypassed the plate of scrambled egg, toast and bacon in favour of getting coffee. Charming wasn't surprised when there was a knock on the door but he was annoyed.  
  
"Abigail." Red said, tilting her head slightly to listen. "Should I let her in?"  
  
"If you don't she'll just make more noise until we have to let her in so she doesn't wake Henry." Charming took his plate and his coffee mug, moving to the table but keeping placed so he could watch Henry.  
  
"Abigail," Red gave a slight nod of greeting, stepping back and motioning the woman inside, "First attempt at violence and you're out."   
  
"Are we acting under official meeting rules then?" Abigail asked, taking her coat off and hanging it up on their coatrack near the door.  
  
Official meeting rules back home had meant they could bicker as much as they wanted, but any weapons drawn or violent acts threatened voided any promises of safety. They'd both seen a few nobles forcibly thrown out before for not keeping up their end; he'd seen Red do the throwing once.  
  
"Why not?" Charming gave a half shrug, picking up his fork and digging in to his breakfast. He wasn't hungry but Red was right, he needed to eat and only an idiot would turn down food she made. "Come join me," he gestured with his fork.  
  
"Are you sure?" She asked, eying him like she would a strange dog.  
  
"Why not?" he repeated, "I mean you've only kidnapped me from my home, tormented my Grandson, had Thomas tie a rope around my neck and thrown me in a jail for a few hours, why should that stop us from eating together?"  
  
Abigail couldn't stop the eyeroll and even Red snorted at his flippant tone. "Why not." she mimicked him, taking the offered plate from Red and moving to sit across from him. "Thomas has gone home to Ella with promises not to say a word of this to anyone and Frederick is guarding the station. Don't protest," She held up her hand when he opened his mouth, "You can't leave a target like that without anyone around. Not when we already know someone to have gotten in."  
  
He nodded grudgingly, "He breaks anything or changes anything and it's on you."  
  
"I know."  
  
Red sat down with her own plate and mug, watching Abigail cautiously. "So what do you have planned now you finally realize Charming is innocent?" she took a bite of her toast, just watching in a way many would find unnerving, something Red had a talent at doing.  
  
The longer you watched someone, the stranger they acted and the more revealing they are. It didn't seem to bug Abigail at all. The woman was unflappable, something he'd always greatly admired. "I believe our next step would be contacting Regina." Abigail responded, picking up her fork and scooping up some eggs.  
  
"Why Regina?" Charming questioned.  
  
His anger was fading some and he couldn't place all the fault on Abigail. He was still furious but she'd done exactly as he would have if he had been in her place.  
  
The fact she thought him capable still made him a little sick however.  She'd shared his name, his home, his bed for weeks. She'd been his wife in this world and still...Still she'd thought him a rapist.  
  
"She knew," Abigail said simply, "Henry said so himself. Regina told him you didn't do it, but we wouldn't believe her if she said it wasn't you."  
  
"Son of a bitch, she did know." Red growled, tapping her fork against the side of her plate in irritation.  
  
"She wouldn't have orchestrated this." Charming said, mouth full, a habit he seemed to have picked up from his daughter. He swallowed at Red's look, "Regina may be a complete bitch on occasion and full of more control and rage issues than anyone could ever think possible but she gains nothing from this. If it hurts Henry you can be sure she's not behind it."  
  
"'On occasion'?" Red wiped her mouth with her thumb, "I seem to recall quite a few times she tried to kill all of us and I've got several scars just from her. Let's not forget the entire 'cursed Snow' and 'sent us all to another world' fiascos."  
  
"More than on occasion," Charming sighed, "She was getting better until Cora showed up." he lamented.  
  
"We all have people and situations that bring out the worst in us." Abigail acknowledged quietly, meeting his eyes. He nodded in reply, focusing on eating to try and rid the lump that had formed in his throat again. "Red, would you rather stay here while we talk with Regina or were you planning on visiting the hospital?" When Red looked surprised Abigail smiled softly, "I do know things. That and your lovely girlfriend threatened me quite plainly with a few threats I never thought her capable of."  
  
"She's picked up some new curses from Red and from Emma's TV shows." Charming smiled faintly. He'd always found Belle cursing in that sweet tone funny.  
  
"I had most of them aimed at me I think. She's quite protective of Emma."  
  
"We all are." Red said firmly. "Think you can handle yourself alone with Regina, Charming?" She locked her eyes on his. It wasn't just a physical thing, he realized. She didn't just mean 'could you protect yourself', she meant 'will **you** be okay without me'.  
  
"I've got a sword, a gun and Henry as backup," He inclined his head to the sleeping boy, "I'll be fine long enough for you to go take them things and come back."  
Charming wished he could believe the lie his brain wanted, to think this was just normal three friends having breakfast but the undercurrent of unease kept that from being possible.  
  
"Do bring me Fredericks sword, please." Abigail requested politely, "I have no need to use it but he'll sulk unbearably until it's returned."  
  
"I'm pretty sure Snow won that fair and square," Red sipped her coffee, watching Abigail over the brim. "I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Thank you."

* * *

"So how do you summon a mad – and I do mean that in every sense of that word – sorceress?" Abigail asked, placing the newly washed dishes on the drying rack next to the sink and drying her hands on a dish towel.  
  
Red had just left with a box full of 'goodies' for Emma, Snow and Belle, leaving her and Charming alone.  
  
Henry was still fast asleep and they'd easily fallen into a semi-domestic pattern.  
  
"Normally a phone works fine," He dug into Snow's purse, searching for her address book. He found it stuck next to Henry's gameboy and opened it, flipping through for Regina's number - still filed under 'Mills' instead of his suggestion of 'Evil' - and grabbing the phone he'd hung up earlier.  
  
If she had anything to do with this...If Regina had even a second of prior knowledge any and all attempts towards forgiveness were gone.  
  
He'd kill her himself for putting Emma through this.  
  
She answered her phone on the third ring.  
  
"Regina, I don't care where you are or what you're doing, get to my home now." He ordered, leaving no room for refusal.  
  
If she wouldn't come to him, he'd go to her and she'd regret it. 

 

* * *

_Pain. It radiated up her arms, across her shoulders and through her body. Her mouth burned and the copper taste of blood filled her mouth mixing with mint from her toothpaste. His mouth was on her, no matter how she moved, how she fought he didn't relent, his teeth and lips working at her.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
"No."  
  
Pain between her legs, shooting through her stomach and making her feel sick because underneath it all she could feel her body rebelling against her mind; could feel herself getting wet, feel the heat growing in her belly.  
  
"Please, stop."  
  
"Emma."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Emma!"  
  
"PLEASE."  
  
"EMMA!"  
_  
Emma's eyes flew open and she gasped in air like she had been suffocating, mediately shielding herself with her arms.  
  
"Emma, it's okay, it's just me."  
  
Soft hands on her arms and a very familiar voice.  
  
"It's just me, it's just Mom." Snow's voice cut through her panic, "You're safe."  
 _  
Safe_.  
  
She let Snow lower her arms and felt Snow's hand brush over her face, "You're safe with me."  
  
"Mom," Emma croaked, tears falling down her cheeks.  
  
"I'm here." Snow wrapped her arms around Emma in a hug, letting Emma hold onto her tightly. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." Snow soothed, rubbing her hand in circles on Emma's back trying to help calm her, keep her grounded. "You're safe."  
  
She couldn't get the feeling of him on her out of her head, couldn't make it go away, couldn't stop her tears. All she could do was hold onto Snow, head against Snow's shoulder as she sobbed.  
Snow didn't move, just held her, whispering soft words and rubbing her back the entire time she was crying.  
  
Eventually the tears subsided but she didn't move, not wanting to give up the comfort of Snow's embrace.  
  
"Better?" Snow asked quietly, holding her close like a child after a nightmare though she supposed she might be one right now.  
  
Emma nodded weakly. Crying had helped some, Snow helped more but it wouldn't go away she could still FEEL him. "Some."  
  
Snow moved so her torso twisted away from Emma for a moment and Emma tried not to protest the loss, afraid she'd leave. But Snow didn't stand up or walk away, instead just turned back to her with tissues provided by Belle. "Here," Snow smiled softly and wiped Emma's face where tears still lingered. "Blow your nose, you'll feel better." Snow handed her the tissues and turned back to Belle, "What'd Red have to say?"  
  
"She's on her way." Belle answered, handing Snow back her phone,"She said she's stopping by to grab our phones so we're not playing phone tag anymore though."  
  
"Smart." Snow picked up the wastebasket for Emma to toss the tissues into.  
  
Red...right, Charming called, he was sending things.  
  
He was home, it wasn't him. He was him, he wasn't...  
  
Charming was safe, home and Snow said he didn't blame her.  
  
He should though, it was her fault.  
  
If she'd just listened to them and stayed home, if she hadn't gone out because she was being stupid.  
  
She'd known Cora was running around, knew how dangerous she was and yet she'd still gone because she was an idiot who deserved whatever happened because if it.  
  
'James', Regina had said.  
  
Charming's twin, the one he'd replaced. The one who'd worked for Cora.  
 _  
'Cora sends her love.'  
_  
"Emma?" Snow's hand on her arm pulled her from her thoughts again. She brushed the tears that had started fallen away from Emma's cheeks.  
  
"Sorry." Emma mumbled, feeling the stitches on her mouth pulling as she spoke.  
  
"You don't have to apologise," Snow told her, "You have nothing to apologise for."  
  
She did though, she had so much to be sorry for. For lying and hurting Charming, for sneaking out, for disobeying their rules, for hurting Snow by making her believe...who had she believed?  
  
For tearing them apart.  
  
For not fighting like she should have; for believing the worst of her Father and not questioning it was him.  
  
Emma shook her head, "Sorry." she repeated softly.


	9. Morning

"You called?" were Regina's first – and rather irritated – words the moment the smoke settled, leaving her standing by their front door.  


"Come in," Charming said sarcastically, "Thanks for knocking."  


Regina nearly rolled her eyes, "Thank you for that oh so pleasant phone call. Henry?" She questioned, voice softening.  


"Asleep," he couldn't begrudge her knowledge of her child in all but blood and nodded towards his room where Henry slept peacefully. "He had a long night."  


"I know." Regina sighed, watching the sleeping child for a moment.  


"We need to talk." Abigail told her, voice soft yet commanding.   


"I know," Regina repeated her words, walking to stand closer to them than Henry.

"Did you know?" Charming questioned tersely.

"Know what?" 

"You know damn well what," he growled, not willing to deal with any run around or deceptions, not today, not after everything.

"Did you know your mother's plan? Did you have any hand in it." Abigail kept her hands pressed flat on the island counter, eyes on Regina's and looked amazingly non-threatening.

Regina looked like she might posture or lie for a moment but when Henry made a noise in his sleep, rolling over and snuggling into Snow's pillow she visibly deflated. "No."

"You knew it was...it wasn't me." Charming crossed his arms, fingers digging into his biceps.

"I had no prior knowledge and I didn't help in any way." Regina corrected. "I learned the same time you did what had happened. It was only with prying that I was able to get the story from my mother."

"Who--"

"What was the point?" Charming demanded, interrupting Abigail before she could finish her own sentence.

"Isn't it obvious?" 

"What was the point?" He growled the question again.

"To discredit you and possibly cause your murder, to break Snow enough she couldn't interfere or stop things anymore and to make sure that Ms. Swan was unable to do her job." Regina listed from memory, "I'm sure if I'd listened longer there would have been some notion about my having Henry returned to me in there. She wanted you out of the way."

"And she couldn't think of a less horrible way to do it?"

"Well, she didn't kill you." Regina sighed, "I can't account for her actions, not entirely. I didn't know until it was already done."

"Who did she glamour," Abigail questioned, interrupting Charming this time, "Who did she make look like James to do this?"

"Glamour?" Regina said with amusement, looking from Charming to Abigail, "Oh, she doesn't know."

"Leave it, Regina." He growled out the warning. There was a reason most people didn't know, a reason only a handful of people were trusted with that knowledge.

"What don't I know?" Abigail shifted her stance defensively, voice returning to the commanding Princess he knew her as. 

"Don't," Charming said darkly, eyes watching Regina carefully.

"James was James," Regina spoke anyway, "There was no glamour."

"But you said it wasn't him. The man in the video didn't have a scar." Abigail looked between them in confusion and suspicion, "He --"

"Was James." Regina answered her.

Abigail shook her head stubbornly and Charming could feel his stress rising again, "That's not possible, not if you're telling the truth about everything else." 

"Oh, it is."

"Don't."

"See, James was James because your James isn't James." Regina smirked, finally in control of something it seemed she wasn't willing to let it go. She shot him an amused look, hands clasped in front of her looking the picture of control.

"You're just speaking in circles." Abigail caught Charming's eyes and he looked away.

"Not exactly. See, James used to be James--"

"Regina, I'm warning you --"

"But James died in your Kingdom," Regina continued on, "So James--"

"Regina!"

"-- was replaced by his younger twin brother." Regina finished, dark amusement tempering her words, "A shoddy replacement but at a glance no difference."

* * *

"Hey, open up," Red called through the door, knocking on it lightly, "I come bearing goodies."

Even the familiar voice made Emma freeze for a moment in panic till she was able to relax back again.

"Please tell me you at least have a basket." Snow called back, fingers linked in Emma's in response to her moment of fear.

"Haha, very funny." Red said dryly. Once Belle had opened the door for her she entered, a large cardboard box in both her hands held to her chest.

"How'd you knock?" Belle questioned curiously.

"I've got feet," Red scoffed, setting the box down on one of the flimsy looking plastic chairs in the room for any guests beyond what the two arm chairs provided for. "Also food, and clothes," She smiled up at Emma, "How are you feeling? Any better with meds?" She gestured to her own mouth where Emma's stitches would be.

"Fine." Emma said shortly, not wanting to think about it.

Red didn't look like she believed her but she smiled anyway, "Beyond food and clothes I was sent with, aha," She pulled Emma's baby blanket from the box, "Charming thought you might want it."

"Thanks." Emma immediately pulled it close once Red handed it over, fingers digging into the soft yarn and burying her face against it in a hug. Better than any stuffed animal, really. Her one constant her entire life, something she now knew was from her parents and that made it all the more special to her. "I uh, how's Henry?" She swallowed hard to disperse the hot lump in her throat and Snow rubbed her forearm lightly in comfort.

"Sleeping like he's cursed," Red informed her, "Beyond the snoring that is. He's cuddled up in your bed," she added, looking towards Snow, "I think he drools too."

"He does." Snow agreed, "But that seems to be a family trait not inherited from me."

"Either way Charming's keeping an eye on him with Abigail --"

"Why is Abigail there?" Snow demanded, "After what she..." Snow cut herself off, taking a calming breath when Emma curled in on herself more without even meaning to.

"Can't burn all our bridges." Red pulled a cellphone from her pocket and handed it to Belle, "Plus she's refusing to back down. Says we need someone impartial to this beyond 'wanting to be a decent human' or something like that. She was also impressed by your knowledge of curses." Red added, raising an eyebrow at Belle.

Belle's face turned pink, "She wouldn't leave and Emma was trying to sleep. She needed her sleep."

"Speaking of needs, I have food." Red said brightly in an overly cheerful tone Emma would have accused her of putting on for her benefit but it didn't seem worth the effort. She dug back into the box and pulled out a Tupperware container, holding it out to Emma, "Breakfast?"

"I'd rather take a shower first." Emma replied honestly.

“Are you sure?” Snow rubbed the back of Emma's hand with her thumb, “You know Red's cooking is great.”

“I just want a shower.” Emma repeated. She could still feel him on her from her nightmare and couldn't make it go away. She wanted a really hot shower and new clothes even though these ones had only been worn in bed.

“Okay,” Snow nodded, “Red?”

“Right, I've got clothes.” Red handed the container to Belle instead and pulled out a plastic bag with a pile of clean clothes inside. She handed it to Emma with a smile, “Yours. I've got some for you two in here too.” She told Snow and Belle.

“Thanks.” Emma sat up, pushing the covers back and swung her legs down till her feet were flat on the cold floor. 

She had trouble standing at first, having laid down too long, and felt pain shoot through her core when she put all her weight on her feet. It hurt like hell but she didn't want to think about why.

"You okay?" Snow asked quietly, automatically taking Emma's arm when she wobbled.

"I'm fine." Emma replied just as quietly. She could handle pain. Physical pain was nothing compared to the war that was raging in her heart and in her head.

"Okay. Yell if you need anything." Snow let go of her arm once Emma gained her balance, not saying a word and letting Emma walk to the bathroom on her own.

She shut the door behind her and resisted the urge to lock it. Instead she made sure it was shut tight and set her clothes down on the counter next to the sink. Emma tried to avoid looking in the mirror till the water was running, quickly getting hotter, and she had to strip.

Her mouth looked horrible with a row of neat little stitches holding together red and swollen flesh. 

She could still feel his lips on her, taste her own blood.

The bite mark on her chest had bruised rather badly and she could make out individual impressions now that made her stomach churn. There were angry red scratches on her ribs that looked like blood pooled beneath the surface and now hand prints perfectly framing her hips.

The hand prints looked huge in comparison to her own and she forced herself to look away.

She didn't even feel angry, just... empty.

The water was almost too hot but it was better than the cold she'd been feeling. If she concentrated she could hear Snow talking outside with Red and Belle but she couldn't quite make out the words. It was comforting all the same.

Emma scrubbed far to hard at her skin, trying to rid herself of a sensation that was no longer there leaving her skin bright pink in places. The hospital soap stunk of antiseptic but it also overpowered other smells – mental and real – which helped calm her a little.

Every time she closed her eyes she could see his face so clearly. Hear that voice that was so much like her fathers and yet not at all alike. Where her father's voice was more soft and kind most times _his_ voice had been mean through and through.

His eyes as well.

She didn't intend to cry but somehow under the water she found herself crying again, forehead resting on the cool tiles.

* * *

"How is he really?" Snow asked as she quickly changed into the new clothes Red had brought her.

"Exhausted. Physically and emotionally," Red took the old clothes folding them and tucking them away at the bottom of the box for washing later. "Furious at everyone, I'm pretty sure he's plotting several murders right now."

"I don't blame him," Belle straightened her new skirt and sat down in one of the visitors chairs, "Someone doing something like this and using his face? It's unthinkable."

"Henry?" Snow sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Still asleep when I left. He's exhausted too but unlike his Gramps he'll actually let himself sleep." Red sighed, "I got him to eat and get new clothes but that was about all I could manage."

"I'll get him to shower and sleep tonight." Snow rubbed her eyes with her palm, wishing desperately this had never happened and that it could all just stop and be a bad dream. She was still trying to sort out how to handle the whole twin thing when it came to Abigail, Thomas and Whale.

"Um, do you think it's a good idea?" Belle's voice was soft, gentle but concerned.

"Getting my husband to sleep when I know he's been up all night? Yes."

"Going home with Emma to where he is."

Snow turned to Belle quickly, anger building, "He didn't do it!"

"No, but he looks just like the man who did." Belle pointed out gently.

Snow let out a breath and felt suddenly as old as she should be without the curse, "You're right. What do I do?"

"There's always room at the Bed and Breakfast. No charge," Red added quickly.

"For us or for him?" Snow leaned back, lying across the bed, "Is Emma okay?" she asked of the wolf.

Red was silent for a moment then nodded, "Yeah. Crying, but she doesn't sound like she's having a panic attack."

Snow closed her eyes at the words. What was she going to do? Go home to the apartment knowing that Charming was there and looked just like James and risk everything that came with that? Go to the Bed and Breakfast without ever trying to see if it could work, if they'd be okay? Was she supposed to kick her husband out of their home like he was a criminal until everything we settled and Emma could handle being around him?

"I need a drink," Snow decided, hands resting over her middle, "Or some xanax."

"You need to eat and take a breath," Red countered. 

"This is never going to be fixed, is it?"

Red lay her hand over Snow's, meeting her eyes seriously, "Anything can be fixed if you have the patience."

Snow just closed her eyes again, listening to the sound of the shower running.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's shorter than normal, am working at writing I swear but I realized how overdo an update was!


	10. Choices

Abigail looked between Charming and Regina in disbelief, "You're joking."

Regina looked smug and Charming felt the rage rising inside him so fast he had to take a step backwards. Violence was not the answer here, no matter how much he felt it should be.

"No, not at all." Regina answered, "It sounds rather like a bad soap opera twist but it is the truth. Prince James was murdered by the Brute, they made a deal and brought in his twin as a replacement. Seems George had to adopt."

"James?" Abigail tried to catch his eye but he looked away, hands clenched so hard his nails were digging into his palm. He felt like he couldn't breathe with all the rage filling him.

It wasn't all at Regina, he knew that on a logical level, it was everything building up horribly with no way to displace it and all mounting to one moment, but logic wasn't taking the forefront here.

"Get out." Charming warned her, voice low.

"You called me here, I'm not leaving yet."

"I SAID GET OUT!" He bellowed, taking a step towards her that actually had her flinching backwards.

"James--" Abigail stepped towards him automatically, throwing her arm up across his chest to keep him backwards but the name, THAT name just made it worse.

"I swear to God Regina--"

"M-Mom?"

He froze at the scared voice of his Grandson and felt like someone had let all the air out of him.

"Mom?" Henry hurried forward, engulfing Regina in a tight hug that she returned, "What's going on?"

"Just a little disagreement," Regina lied easily, brushing his hair with her fingers and pressing a kiss to his forehead, "That's all."

"But Gramps--"

"Is running on too little sleep and too much coffee," Abigail interrupted before Regina could say anything, "That's all." She lowered her arm that was in front of him but rested her other hand on his back in a calming gesture Henry couldn't see.

Both lying for him so easily, it nearly hurt.

Charming rubbed his face with his hands, running them backwards through his hair and nodded, "Yeah. Sorry, bud, I didn't mean to get loud."

"It's okay." Henry leaned against Regina, watching them, "How come she's here?"

Charming cleared his throat, "Abigail's trying to help us fix this. She knows the truth now."

"She believes it? That someone copied you?"

"Yes." Regina answered so he didn't have to, "Abigail knows it wasn't him. We just have to figure out how to get it all fixed again, how to make sure everyone's okay."

"I'm sorry I scared you, Henry," Abigail said softly, "And I'm sorry we didn't explain what was going on to you. We didn't want you to have to know any more than you did until we were sure but that was wrong of me."

Henry eyed her curiously, nodding after a several seconds, "It's okay. You were just trying to help, right?"

"Yes, in a very clumsy way we could have worked around better," Abigail smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes, "I promise we won't hurt your Gramps, not again."

"Red made breakfast," Charming remembered, mind too foggy to think everything through, "You have a plate in the microwave, why don't you eat and wake up while we talk?"

"Can I go see Mom then?"

The simple question made Charming wince, "We'll see. Get something to eat, I can hear your stomach growling over here."

Henry rolled his eyes but headed into the kitchen anyway.

Charming grabbed his coffee mug and scowled finding it empty. He needed something to wake him up, despite their opinions of his intake. He needed to talk to Snow, needed to work off this anger, needed to see his daughter and make sure she was okay.

But he couldn't do any of it so he settled for refilling his mug and sitting down with Abigail in the living room, leaving Henry and Regina in their little kitchen talking quietly over breakfast.

"Twins?" Abigail questioned softly, taking the seat next to him on the couch, close enough they were almost touching, her body angled so she could watch him.

"Yeah." He took a drink of his coffee, savouring the warmth before sitting the mug down on the table within reach. This wasn't a conversation that he wanted to have. It was a conversation that still triggered images of his mother's murder in his mind, still brought out anxiety and fear.

A secret that had to be kept unless he wanted to die.

"I was... the younger. My parents were poor, their farm barren and they made a deal. One of their twins for a farm that prospered, to be able to live comfortably, to be able to raise the other happily. They regretted it the moment he took my brother, they weren't even allowed to speak of him." Charming tapped his foot anxiously on the floor, leg bouncing in a nervous twitch. His mother always looked so devastated whenever James had been brought up. Looked so heart broken.

"But then he died?" Abigail prompted, voice gentle and eyes kind as she watched him speak.

"Yes." He nearly winced when she put her leg on his knee to still the movement in a gesture he was used to from Kathryn and sat back further, leaning against the arm of the couch, "From what I've been told the Brute wasn't dead. He stood, attacked and my brother was murdered. George's kingdom still needed gold to survive so Rumplestiltskin offered me as a replacement in another deal. All I had to do was show up, let them kill the dragon, take credit and then I could go home."

"What changed?"

"You." Charming lifted his cup again, the ceramic warm against his skin and took a big drink despite the heat of it.

"Me?"

"Yes. I could have gone home, lived in comfort with my mother, a happy life, a quiet life, but your father offered your hand in marriage. If I hadn't agreed George would have murdered my mother. I had no choice."

"And then you met Snow." Abigail laced her fingers together, resting them on her lap, "and there was no way out of being a Prince. Does she know?"

"Yes. She's known as long as we've been together. I couldn't keep that from her."

"Who all knows?" Abigail questioned and he knew she was trying to figure out how to explain this away, how to help Emma and help him.

"Snow, Red, the Dwarves, Henry – it's in his book-, Emma, Granny, Blue, Gold, Regina and George..." He sighed, "No one we don't trust completely bar the two intent on destroying us."

"And now myself as well. Which category do I fall under?"

"I don't know."

 

* * *

 

"Feel better?" Snow asked with a cheerful tone Emma knew was faked when she left the bathroom behind, clad in the new clothes Red had brought her.

"Yeah." It was only half a lie, she did feel better, couldn't feel hands on her any more but she still felt like a mess, like she had the day before.

She tried to walk without a limp, aware all three women were watching her but it was difficult when everything hurt like it did.

"You're going to get cold with bare feet," Red frowned, "Didn't I give you socks?"

"Socks after a shower are gross," Emma informed her, sitting back on the bed and leaning against the back, "They stick."

Once her feet were up on the bed Snow flipped the covers over them with a smile, "We can keep them warm fine without socks, right?"

Emma almost smiled at the gesture and gave a little nod, "Yeah."

"Red made breakfast," Belle informed her with a genuine smile, pushing her table back to where it rested over her lap and set a container down in front of her.

Eggs, toast, bacon... Red really had gone full on breakfast.

Her stomach hurt though, she felt sick and didn't really WANT to eat. Even though it did look good.

Snow seemed to realize that though and handed Emma a fork. "Just eat a little bit," Snow coaxed, voice quiet, "Then you can take something for the pain and not get sick. Okay?"

"Okay." Emma replied, just as quietly, taking the fork from her.

It was good, it always was it was Red's cooking, her eggs were only rivalled by those made by Snow.

Emma ate slowly, mechanically while listening to them talk. She wasn't even completely sure what they were talking about really, but the bits she caught sounded like it was about the Library. Her mind was just too busy to focus.

Everything was fighting to be heard and she was fighting to keep it all back, not wanting to think about the last day. Not wanting to picture it again or wonder why.. No, it was easier to focus on eating even if she didn't want to.

She wanted home, more than anything. Wanted to go home, curl up in her bed in the loft with her blankets and hide, pretend nothing had happened.

"When can I leave?" Emma asked after a few minutes of internal debate.

Snow didn't look surprised at the question, "Whale wanted to keep you for observation," the way she said it, the annoyance hidden in the tone, alerted Emma there was more to it than that, "but technically you can leave whenever you're ready."

"I can?"

"It'd be AMA but yes, you can," Snow nodded, "But I think we need to talk about what happens when we leave."

Emma's stomach churned and she set her fork back down, hands twisted up in her baby blanket instead, "What do you mean 'what happens'?"

Snow bit her lip and set her own container aside, it looked like she'd managed about as much as Emma had. "I know, and you know, that Charming wasn't... wasn't the one who hurt you," Snow chose her words carefully.

"Yeah." The idea both scared her and comforted her a little.

"But Charming is identical to  _him_." Snow covered Emma's hand with her own, squeezing gently. Emma released the blanket and turned her hand to hold on to Snows. "So I'm not... I'm not sure what to do."

She was going to make her leave, Emma's heart sped up, she'd be alone again and away because Snow couldn't handle it, couldn't deal with her as a liar.

"Snow," she heard Red's voice through her fear and felt Snow move, pushing the table back and sitting next to her on the bed, pulling her into a hug.

"It's okay, Emma, you're not going anywhere, I promise. I don't mean anything bad. I just mean you have a choice to make," Snow brushed Emma's hair with her fingers, holding her close.

"Choice?" Emma repeated, voice cracking.

"Yes. A choice," Snow repeated, sitting back enough to look at her daughter but holding her all the same. "We can go home, if you think you're up to it, where Charming and Henry are, knowing they're both there and knowing that Charming's... identical. Or," She continued, voice amazingly calm, "We can go to the Bed and Breakfast until you feel better, or Charming can camp out there, Red said she'd look after him."

"'We'?"

"We," Snow nodded, "Do you think I'd leave you alone? Wherever you are, I'll be. Promise."

The thought nearly made her cry so she just nodded, trying to think it over.

She wanted home, no matter what she just wanted to go home. Wanted her bed, wanted her things where it was safe and secure and  **home**. But she couldn't kick Charming out, could she?

Couldn't do that to him, or to Snow.

Snow probably was frustrated enough by her as it was.

God knew what Charming thought of her.

Charming... he was different, though.

**His**  voice was dark and mean and the way he'd moved scary.

She found herself wanting to hear Charming instead, her father's voice that was always strong but kind. The man who she'd never seen harm anybody and always treated her with care.

Emma actually wanted to see him, if only to be sure of the difference, to be sure his scar was there and to reassure herself they were different.

"I... I want to go home," She said after a few minutes, breaking into the quiet conversation again, "Charming... he can stay."

Snow's eyes met hers again, searching, "Are you sure, honey?"

Emma swallowed hard but nodded, "I'm sure."

"Okay."

"If you change your mind," Red sat down on the end of her bed, serious voice but a small smile on her face, "The Bed and Breakfast is ALWAYS open. Promise."

"Thank you," Emma shifted uncomfortably, and sought out Snow's hand again for the comfort.

 

* * *

 

It wasn't long before she heard Snow's phone going off, buzzing away in her pocket. Emma figured it for another check-in call but it was apparently a text.

Snow looked at the screen and a frown crossed her features, whatever it was it clearly made her unhappy or at least troubled.

Suddenly Emma couldn't breathe, her heart clenched, belly full of ice. What if it was like her?

What if Charming wasn't him?

What if someone else had been hurt?

What--

"It's okay," Snow's voice interrupted her panic attack and she felt Snow's hands take her own again, "Emma, it's okay."

"What's wrong?" She blurted out anxiously eyeing Snow's phone.

"What?" Snow frowned again and shook her head, "Nothing."

"You're upset. Is... is he him?"

Understanding crossed Snow's features immediately and she nodded, "Charming is Charming, that's not what bothered me. It's okay, no one's been hurt." Snow handed her the phone, message still up, "See?"

It was from Charming, just six simple words,  _'Abigail knows the truth about me.'_

"He told her about... about  _him_?"

"It appears so." Snow sent a message back and tucked the phone away, "I guess she has to... It's hard to explain otherwise. We have to find a way to tell Whale, to tell Thomas, without it getting out to everyone."

"If you're looking to find a way you can start with me," Belle raised her hand, catching their attention, "I'm still not in the loop completely."

Snow looked at Red, "You didn't--?"

"No!" Red shook her head, "I promised you two I never would, didn't I?"

Snow smiled, "Thank you, Red." She shifted, letting one arm wrap around Emma to hold her close but turned her attention to Belle, "It's a long story that will sound like bad daytime television that all starts with your Ex being manipulative."

"I find most things in this town do."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again it's short, I know, I'm sorry. I haven't abandoned it, I've just been lacking a muse cooperating with it.


	11. Home

“You're starting to make me dizzy, Gramps.”

“Huh?”

“You're pacing.” Henry pointed out, interrupting Charming's thoughts.

“Oh, sorry.” Charming sat down at the table, trying to remain still. He hadn't been able to calm since Regina and Abigail both had left – Abigail not long after Regina – both with promises to check in soon, for different reasons.

He wasn't sure how Regina could still be near her mother, still tolerate her after what she'd done, but he couldn't really do much to change her mind right now. But she'd promised to stop back by and check in with Henry when the boy had protested her leaving.

Abigail's promise to return was a much nicer reason, intent on checking on Emma to see if she was okay and to help them figure out what to do. There was no way to punish a man long dead, but they did need to make sure he wasn't in town any more.

They needed a way to track down Cora, to stop her before this escalated any more than it already had.

“The leg bouncing isn't much better.” Henry told him.

Charming sighed, forcing himself to stop moving, “Sorry. Too much coffee.”

“You're upset,” Henry observed, “I am too, but pacing doesn't do anything.”

“Pacing helps me think.” Charming rubbed his hand over his hair, “or not to think.”

“Maybe you should sleep some,” Henry suggested, tapping his fingers on the table, watching his grandfather intently, “It might make you feel better.”

Charming shook his head, “I doubt sleep will help me at all.”

“You don't know until you try.”

“Not now,” Charming checked his phone again, though he knew if he'd gotten a call or a message it would have sounded, “They'll be home in a little while. I hope.”

“Right.” Henry shifted in his chair looking as restless as Charming felt, “It's going to be okay, you know. They all know the truth now.”

“So that's going to make it all okay?” Charming crossed his arms on the table, leaning on them to look his grandson in the eye.

“Yeah. Mom knows it wasn't you, so does Grams, so everyone knows the truth. They can't blame you or get mad, so it'll all work out.” Henry shrugged, “Everyone will be okay.”

“I don't think it's going to be so simple, kid.”

Henry frowned, “Why wouldn't it be, when they all know the truth?”

“It's... complicated.” Charming settled on finally. Henry was ten, it was a hard enough thing to process and figure out as an adult, he couldn't imagine how hard it was to wrap a ten year old mind around it. Of course to him everything could be magically fixed once the truth was out. It didn't matter that Charming shared a face with someone as evil as his brother, that his face, his name, now haunted his daughter's nightmares.

All that mattered was that the truth was out.

“You'll understand when you're older.”

Henry sighed, “That's adult for 'I don't want to explain it to you right now'.”

“Pretty much,” Charming admitted, standing again, too restless to sit still for long. He ignored the noise of disapproval from Henry, turning his attention to the already clean kitchen. There were probably a few spots that needed to be cleaned still.

Maybe some laundry somewhere in the house that hadn't been dealt with. Something, anything that would keep him occupied enough that maybe he could get away with not thinking for even a little while.

“You could always play video games with me.” Henry stood to follow him, pacing after him but taking three steps for every one Charming took.

“You think that'll keep me occupied?”

“We can play Guitar Hero.” Henry gave him a hopeful smile. “I might let you win.”

Charming laughed, trying to look happier than he was inside, “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. For a bit, right? Maybe we can all play when they get home.”

“Maybe. I think they'll just want to sleep though.”

“We'll see.” Henry shrugged, grabbing Charming's hand and hauling him over to the sofa to make him sit still, at least for a little while.

* * *

"I'm just not comfortable releasing her yet." Whale told Snow, arms crossed over his chest in an argument they'd been having for what felt like forever.

Emma just wanted to go home, wanted her own bed, wanted to be where it was safe, where her family was.

She wanted to see her son and make sure he was okay, wanted... wanted to be certain her father was really her father.

She wanted home.

But she let them argue, not wanting to interrupt because it seemed futile. Her mouth was aching where the stitches were as she waited for medication to kick in, and despite having slept some the night before, she was exhausted.

"Are you okay?" Belle asked quietly, sitting down next to her on her bed.

"I want to go home." Emma replied, fingers toying with the ribbon strung through her baby blanket.

"Tell him that." Belle encouraged, "Like Snow said, you can sign out without him saying so if you want."

Signing out without him saying so meant more arguing, fighting. The idea of him getting mad at her made her stomach churn even though normally the doctor wasn't scary in the least.

"She's fine. She's healthy, she wants to leave," Snow countered with barely restrained anger, "What's not to be comfortable with?"

Whale shifted in place, eyes darting towards Emma then back to Snow, "I'm not certain she'll be safe."

Snow's hand turned to a fist at her side and Emma turned away immediately, hiding against Belle, but there was no yell, no sound of flesh on flesh or of violence.

"My daughter is perfectly safe in her own home," She heard Snow say tightly instead, "She'll be protected there better than she could be here."

"You really think taking her home to be victimized again is the best thing?"

Emma barely heard the words but did hear the growl from Red at them.

"Home is the best place for her," Snow repeated with anger Emma could almost feel, "where she's safest. No one will hurt her."

"She wasn't safe yesterday, was she."

"The station isn't home." Snow said tersely.

"But it holds the same people as 'home'." Whale replied quickly, his thoughts thinly veiled.

Emma blinked back tears, fighting to work up the courage to speak, to make him listen to her, but it was a struggle that was making her feel sicker than the pills did.

"What exactly are you saying?"

"I think you know what I'm saying." Whale's voice was calm and low and it nearly made Emma flinch. "I know Frederick was here, as was Abigail."

"I want to go home." Emma's voice was far too quiet to be heard by either arguing, but Belle squeezed her shoulders gently in reply.

"And I'm sure you know they're gone." Snow sounded like she wanted to be violent, like Whale wasn't worth her breath.

"That doesn't mean anything beyond your abilities as Queen to throw others around." Whale shot back, voice rising in anger.

"I want to go home!" Emma said louder, voice cracking as she risked a look up at Snow and Whale.

Snow's posture instantly changed, anger melting away, "Emma--"

"Please?" Emma reached out for Snow's hand, leaning into her instead of Belle when Snow came to stand by her. "I just want to go home."

"Emma," Whale's voice became calm again, his gentle tone he used as a Doctor to keep patients settled, "It might be better for you to stay here while they're still trying to figure out what happened."

"They know." Emma stared down at her hands, rubbing at her tattoo nervously with her thumbnail until Snow made her stop by covering Emma's hand with her own. "I just want to go home."

"I'm sure we could find you a place to stay," Whale offered, "Granny's, maybe, or I'm sure Princess Abigail would have a room for you. Just until everything is sorted out."

"I lied." Emma said, chest aching at the words. "Da-... my father didn't hurt me. I lied. I just want to go home."

"I ran the tests, Emma, I know you weren't lying." Whale assured her as if he were talking to an injured animal or a small child, an attempt at comfort that didn't work.

Emma shook her head, leaning further into Snow, "I want to go home. I'll sign whatever you need signed."

"Emma---"

Emma leaned into Snow, head and heart hurting, "Please let me go home."

"You heard the girl." Red spoke up, "You can't ignore the patient, Whale."

Whale sighed but nodded, “Okay. I can't force you to stay.” He addressed her like an equal, like she wasn't just some patient, making sure to keep his eyes on hers, his voice calm. “I just hope you've thought about this, Emma.”

“I have.” Emma risked meeting his eyes. She'd been expecting anger, annoyance, or something like that. She wasn't expecting pity, it made it hard to breathe for a moment. “I want to go home.”

* * *

It took longer to get out of the hospital than Snow had thought it would, Whale dragging his feet every step of the way, and insisting on one final check. Just one more talk.

One more chance to back out.

He kept his distance, never touching Emma unless he explained it first and even then asking her permission before he touched her stitches. His voice always soft and gentle, and infuriatingly calm.

Maybe it was how rational he was being, how sweet he was, trying to make sure Emma was okay and safe, but something about it infuriated Snow and made her want to scream at him to leave, to walk away and not come back.

Maybe it was because Whale was doing what she should have been doing those first few hours; comforting her daughter and making sure she felt safe. She'd dropped the ball, in those first few crucial hours. When she was so confused and trying to help both her husband and her child. She was still conflicted and riddled with guilt, but Emma didn't need her guilt, she needed her love.

By time they were checking out of the hospital, Emma was starting to doze off in the wheelchair they'd insisted she sit in until she was outside at the car.

"Just a short ride," Snow promised, helping Emma up and into her Jeep – extremely grateful that Red had taken it when she'd brought them food and clothing earlier that morning, as it made things infinitely easier. “Then we'll be home.”

Emma gave a sleepy nod, bundled in Snow's coat, barely moving to help when Snow buckled her seatbelt for her, moving clumsily from a lack of sleep and the pills she'd been given. She made a noise when Snow covered her with her baby blanket but snuggled back down into it, fingers threading through the neat stitches.

She shut the door to the Jeep carefully and turned, shivering a little in the winter air. “So what are your plans?” Snow asked Red, trying to sound calm as she addressed the werewolf leaning against her bright red Camaro. “Beyond stalking me home.”

“Stop by the pharmacy for you,” Belle answered for her girlfriend, snuggled into her own coat to guard against the chill, “So you don't have to leave Emma alone.”

“Go wolf and see if I can't track down Cora.” Red shrugged, “Or anyone, really.”

“Play guard dog.” Belle suggested quietly, making Red smile a little.

“Maybe.”

“Oh, right, the pharmacy!” Snow nearly cursed. She'd forgotten she needed to pick up Emma's pain medication and some antibiotic cream for her mouth. “My purse is at home--”

“On us.” Belle interrupted her, “Least we can do, right?”

“Right. Plus Sneezy loves us.” Red smiled in an attempt to make Snow smile, she knew, “We'll swing by the apartment after. You might need some help getting her up all those stairs anyway.”

“Or with reintroduction.” Belle added quietly.

Snow winced. She still hadn't figured out how that was going to work exactly. “Yes, that... Thank you two, really. I'm eternally grateful for your help.”

“That's what friends are for.”

Snow allowed Red to pull her into a hug, leaning against her friend for a moment as she tried to keep her composure, “Thank you,” she whispered again anyway.

“Go home,” Red told her, patting her back and hugging her tightly, “Get your little girl in bed so she can sleep, and we'll be there as soon as possible.”

“Yes, sleep.” Snow stepped back, clearing her throat and peering into the Jeep. Emma looked like she was fast asleep, cuddled into her baby blanket, her head resting against the window. “I just... Yes, I need to get her home.”

“We'll be there as soon as we can be.” Red promised again.

“Call if you need anything sooner.” Belle directed. It was easy to see how tired the two were, but Snow was certain she didn't look any better.

“Thank you.” Snow repeated, turning back to her jeep to leave.

She had to get Emma home, back where it was safe.

Safer.

Even though she couldn't be sure of what reaction they would get once they were all together.

Emma was okay with them all being together again, or at least she was willing to try to stay near Charming, despite him sharing a face with the man who hurt her.

Would Charming be okay with staying near Emma, knowing that she'd believed him capable of rape?

Would either be okay with her, in the long run, without knowing who she had believed, whose side she took?

“Mom?” Emma whispered sleepily when Snow shut her door a little louder than intended.

“Shh, it's just me.” Snow reached across, grabbing Emma's hand in her own soothingly, “Rest. We'll be home soon.”

“'kay,” Emma murmured, snuggling down in her blanket again. Somehow, despite everything, still trusting her mother to keep her safe.

Even when she'd already failed.

* * *

“Emma, lean on me.” Snow instructed, trying to help Emma up the stairs. A combination of pain, medication, and a sleepless night making Emma all but dead on her feet, steps shuffling as she tried to climb the stairs. Maybe they should have waited for Red to return “Come on, almost there,” Snow coaxed, taking most of Emma's weight onto herself. She could stop, call upstairs to have Charming come help, she thought briefly, but knew it was the worst idea possible right now. “Only one flight left.”

“'m'sleepy.” Emma mumbled, head on Snow's shoulder.

“I know, sweetheart. Once we're upstairs you can sleep for as long as you want.” Snow said in attempted bribe, hoping that sounded appealing.

“Stay wi'me?” Emma's fingers tightened on Snow's shoulder where she held on to her mother.

“I'll stay with you as long as you want me to.” she promised, nearly out of breath as they made it to the landing outside of their apartment. “You know that.”

“I don’t want to sleep alone.” Emma admitted fearfully, fingers tightening on Snow’s shoulder as she unlocked the door locks.

“I’ll stay with you.” Snow repeated, “as long as you want me too.”

She pushed open the door, looking inside cautiously. She didn’t see Charming anywhere, but she saw Henry sitting on the edge of the couch watching what looked like ‘Monsters inc.’.

“Mom!” he yelled with excitement the moment he saw them, tossing the controller for the DVD player aside and running for them.

“Careful,” Snow warned her grandson, ready to stop him if need be, but he slowed on his own, skidding to a stop in front of them.

“Mom?”

“Hey kid,” Emma mustered a small smile for him, looking like she was going to pass out at any minute.

“Are you... do you feel better?”

“I feel sleepy.” Emma answered, leaning heavily against Snow.

“Oh.”

“Emma, why don’t you sleep in my bed?” Snow offered, eyeing the flight of stairs to the loft with distaste, “At least until Red gets here and can help you upstairs.”

Emma nodded, resting her head against Snow’s shoulder, “M’kay.”

She looked around again for Charming but didn’t see him anywhere. Hiding, maybe?

He wouldn’t have gone off and left Emma alone.

Henry stood nervously just on the outside of the open curtains that shielded the room she shared with Charming from view, watching like a nervous puppy.

Snow knelt, getting Emma’s shoes off first and setting them aside, smiling when Emma curled her sock covered toes, happy to not be wearing them any longer.

“Can you hold your arms out for me, please?” Snow requested, waiting for Emma to set her baby blanket aside and hold her arms out before moving. She slowly unzipped the coat Emma wore, helping her pull it off and set it aside, “Lay back down. Please?” she added after a moment’s thought.

Emma did as told obediently, not questioning her mother, laying back against Snow’s pillows and letting Snow tuck her into bed like a child, covering her with her baby blanket as well. “S’eep with me?” Emma clutched Snow’s hand when she straightened up.

“I need to get our stuff from the car and change into some pyjama’s,” Snow half lied, “I’ll be right back. Henry will sit with you until I’m back. Won’t you, Henry?”

Henry nodded eagerly, jumping at the chance to play white knight. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to Emma before Snow even moved, taking her hand in his.

He looked up at Snow with serious eyes though when she went to leave. “He’s hiding in the bathroom,” He said, voice so low that she could barely hear him, and doubted her sleepy child could hear him at all.

“Hiding?”

Henry nodded glumly, turning back to his mom. “I got a new DVD. Abigail brought it for me!”

Snow ignored his start to babbling, pulling the curtains a little closer shut and heading for the bathroom immediately.

One door was shut, but the other open a crack, so she pushed it open without thought.

There he sat, her beloved husband, balanced on the edge of the tub, head in his hands. He hadn’t looked this depressed, this forlorn, when his mother died. His eyes were red rimmed, dark circles shadowing them, and he looked as if a stiff breeze would blow him over.

“Charming.” She whispered, shutting the door behind her and reaching for him.

“Snow.” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her middle without standing.

“Oh, Charming,” Snow sighed, running her fingers through his short hair, nails just brushing against his scalp, “You look like you need rest.”

“If I could rest, I would.” he nuzzled her stomach, hiding his face like a child trying to block out the world.

“Emma’s home,” Snow told him, skipping all dancing around the subject, knowing he wanted to know. “She’s laying in our bed right now. She’s afraid to be alone.”

“And there’s no place in the world safer than Mommy’s bed.” Charming tightened his grip around her briefly, looking up at her. “How is... how is she doing?”

“She’s...” ‘better’, ‘stable’, ‘okay’, all flitted through her mind, but none were apt. “Sleepy, and confused.”

Charming laughed mirthlessly, “Sounds familiar.”

Snow ducked her head, pressing a light kiss to his forehead, “I said I’d lay down with her, but I wanted to check with you first.”

“I’m... I’ll live.” Charming sighed, not releasing his hold on her.

“You need some sleep too.”

“I would sleep if I could.”

“Please try for me?” Snow let her fingernails draw designs against his scalp, fingers trailing over his neck and ears, lulling him towards sleep even as he sat on the edge of the tub, “You’ll feel so much better.”

“No where to sleep,” He said after a moment, blinking sleepily.

“Go upstairs, take Emma’s bed, or Henry’s,” She added quickly at his wince, “and get a little rest. Red and Belle are dropping by soon and you know they’ll stay as long as we need them too. You don’t have to stay up and play protector.”

“If I sleep I think I may dream of death,” He admitted anxiously.

“Of death?”

“I’ve never felt so angry in my life, so betrayed and I can’t-- I can’t even channel it towards anything productive because he’s already gone and dead. My own brother and I… I think if I were to sleep, he’s all I’d dream of.” Charming nuzzled her stomach again, arms tightening around her again.

“Grams?” Snow heard Henry call out for her anxiously from the other room, and Snow knew she was out of time.

“Charming,” Snow cupped his face with her hands again, drawing his face up to look at her, “We'll figure this out, I promise you. But right now you need rest.”

“And Emma needs you.” Charming nodded, turning his head to kiss her palm, “I know.”

“If you won't sleep, at least lay down on the couch,” Snow tried to coax him into listening to her somehow. The normal route of just pulling him into bed with her was not going to work this time around. Probably not for some time. “You can watch Henry's new movie with him, and wait for Red and Belle to arrive.”

“And you hope it will put me to sleep in the meantime.” Charming finished her unspoken words.

“A girl can dream.” Snow bent her head, pressing a light kiss to his lips.

“Grams?” Henry called again, louder this time.

“One moment, Henry,” Snow yelled back, pulling Charming to his feet and kissing him again. “Go rest, please? For me? You're no good to anyone when you're sleep deprived.”

Charming nodded slowly, “I'll try and rest a while, for you. I can't promise anything once they arrive.”

“I know.” Snow leaned up on tiptoes to kiss him again, relishing the ability to hug her husband again, to know he was safe and home, that everything was going to be okay.

She hoped.

“I love you.” Charming murmured, face buried against her neck as he clung to her.

“I love you too,” Snow replied just as quietly, hugging him tightly.

He let go abruptly, stepping backwards, “Our daughter needs you.”

“Yes I… Rest,” Snow ordered him again, opening the bathroom door and stepping out.

“Okay.” he repeated, leaving through the other door.

Emma was sitting up in the bed, clutching her blanket to her and looking pale. Henry sat at her side, perched on the edge of the bed, one small hand resting over one of Emma's.

“What's wrong, honey?”

“You were gone.” Emma looked completely terrified, unashamed of her fear which meant she was probably too far gone to care.

“I'm here.” Snow hugged Emma gently, “I'm here. I haven't gone anywhere. Henry,” She turned enough to address him, running her fingers through Emma's hair, “Why don't you go put your movie on? You two can watch it quietly while we rest too.”

Thankfully the little boy took the hint, nodding and giving her a reassuring smile. “Yeah, I can do that. I'll go sit in the living room, Mom,” He told Emma, waiting for her to acknowledge him before he smiled again, “So if you need anything just yell, okay? I'll get anything!”

“Thank you.” Snow smiled back at him. The little boy knew more than he let on, sadly he was forced to be more mature than his years, and she watched him head off past the curtains, his shoulders slumping when he thought he was out of her sight. “Lay back, Emma,” Snow gently pushed at Emma's shoulders, guiding her to lay back against the pillows.

“Mom?” Emma grabbed at her hand when Snow took a step away from the bed.

“I'm right here,” Snow assured her, her heart aching for her daughter. She was going to kill Cora, find some way to bring James back to life just so he could suffer a worse fate than he already had. His death was too good for him, when he'd brought that look to her baby girl's eyes. “I'm not going anywhere.”

Emma watched her anxiously the entire time she moved around the small bedroom, exchanging her clothing for fresh pyjamas. Just a simple pair of sleep pants and a t-shirt, but it would work for the moment.

“It's okay,” Snow said quietly, climbing into bed on Charming's side, surprised at how quickly Emma clung to her, curling into her side like the frightened child she'd become. “I'm here,” Snow promised, rubbing Emma's back as she held her daughter to her side, listening to her breathing gradually slow, her body beginning to relax. She needed sleep desperately, they all did. Maybe after some sleep things would be clearer, they'd have an actual plan.

Maybe then she might have an idea how to get Emma and Charming into the same room without someone bursting into tears. It was anyone's guess who would cry though.

“Shh,” Snow pressed a kiss to Emma's head when she stirred, “It's okay, honey, you're okay,” Snow promised, “Mommy's here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the extremely long wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure how well this is written, given it's my first venture into the genre but the prompt wouldn't let go. Would appreciate any constructive criticisms to gauge what needs fixed/edited.


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